Fire and Ice
by Durhelediel and Layren
Summary: Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon are sent to Hoth to help researchers search for ore. When the group splits, things start going horribly wrong. The search for ore becomes a fight for survival. NON SLASH. COMPLETED.
1. Default Chapter

Fire and Ice

Authors: Durhelediel and Layren

Rating: PG

Disclaimer: All things Star Wars belong to George Lucas. We do not profit by it…well, okay so our imaginations profit…but that still isn't monetary substance. Lol

Note from the authors: Clue for those who may be easily confused…this fic is separated into flashbacks until the time line is caught back up again. The flashbacks will be indicated by i. Happy reading!

Fifteen-year-old Obi-Wan Kenobi eyed the slender man cautiously. Sweat poured down his body, bare chest, and chaffed at his cuffed wrists and ankles. Hoth was so freezing cold that the change in temperature was making him feverish. He coughed, then glanced to the side where his master, Qui-Gon Jinn, lay quietly. His master had been here longer than he, but seemed to be calmly taking it all in. He himself had just shortly gotten here. He had been searching for his master...well, he had found him.

Qui-Gon sighed deeply as he glanced over at his padawan. He had tried to keep Obi-Wan from looking for him but it hadn't worked. Instead, Obi-Wan had ignored his mental warning and his closing of their bond, deciding to come looking for him against his orders. Sweat rolled off him in waves. It was incredibly hot in this room and he'd been there for several days already. He had several bruises, burns and cuts marking his chest and abdomen. None of them were too serious he didn't think at the moment…yet.

Obi-Wan gave another deep, racking cough that shook his whole body. He was stretched tightly in his chains so that any slight movement caused him to wiggle uncontrollably and threatened to make him vomit. His captor had laughed when he discovered that the younger Jedi was sick and had placed him this way on purpose. Just another way to torture an answer from him, though his head was so fuzzy he wasn't exactly sure what the man wanted. In a hoarse whisper, he mumbled, "Master?"

"Padawan?" Qui-Gon replied, gritting his teeth as he tried to move for the millionth time without any success. He wished he could take off his tunic. He could feel it sticking to him with all the sweat pouring off him and it was wearing on his nerves.

Obi-Wan let his body relax into the chains, ignoring the digging into his sweat-softened flesh. "It could be worse..." he tried to joke.

Qui-Gon sighed a little and twisted again, wiggling his bare toes. "Padawan, I told you to stay with your expedition. Why did you not follow my orders?"

Obi-Wan sighed, feeling sleep tugging at him, even in his uncomfortable surroundings. His response was slurred when he said, "Had to follow you to keep from being killed...incompetent researchers..." The second- and third- degree burns on his chest and arms throbbed with the thought of what one of those 'incompetent researchers' had done before Obi-Wan had went after his master. He was so tired....

"Obi-Wan, even if they're incompetent they still requested Jedi protection," Qui-Gon said, putting more force into his voice. He frowned, watching as Obi-Wan's eyelids drooped. "Obi-Wan, I need you to stay awake, please."

"Why?" Obi-Wan asked. It seemed like such a natural thing, sleeping. Why would his master deny him what his body craved? He slipped further into the beckoning darkness.

Qui-Gon tugged on his chains, trying again to get loose. He saw Obi-Wan was already asleep. He sighed. His poor padawan was sick and injured. He would do everything in his power to protect him from the terrorists who held them.

i

"Why are we being sent, Master?" Obi-Wan inquired his master while they packed for a trip to the ice world of Hoth. Hoth was uninhabited and largely left alone by all. Why in the galaxy would they be requested to go there, of all places?

"Because there is rumor of valuable ore located under the planet's surface and researchers have requested Jedi assistance. Terrorists would be extremely interested in this type of ore because it would be a very effective explosive and, in theory, using this material would be cheaper. The Senate is also requesting us go to ensure that the Republic gets the ore before anyone else. We must do our duty."

Obi-Wan sighed. Duty. He was starting to hate that word. As an initiate he could not wait to become a padawan so he could become a Jedi Knight...now he saw how much of it was a dance with the Senate instead of helping all those who really needed the help. But he wouldn't let his master know about his feelings toward the Senate, that might not bode well for him as his padawan so all he said was simply, "Yes, Master."

"Good," Qui-Gon said, clapping the boy on the shoulder. "Now, let's get packed and then we'll be off as soon as we can. Master Windu dropped off our cold weather gear for us that we would need."

Obi-Wan hoped his master missed him rolling his eyes. Two weeks on Hoth was not his idea of any kind of fun, he thought as he slung his bag over his shoulder. "I'm finished, Master." He waited expectantly for what Qui-Gon would want from him next.

Qui-Gon caught the look and his eyes narrowed. "Obi-Wan, I'm not exactly thrilled about going to Hoth either, but I do not appreciate your attitude of reluctance to the mission. I can leave you behind if you persist in this attitude."

Obi-Wan immediately sobered, dropping the bag. "Master, I want to go with you," he said earnestly. "I promise to do better." He gazed at him, his eyes wide, begging through their bond not to leave him there.

Qui-Gon stared at his padawan, seeing through him. Finally, he nodded. "Good. We have only a few minutes before the researchers arrive. Now let's get to the hangar."

Obi-Wan followed his master as they walked briskly to the hanger of the Temple. There they found eight people, three women and five men, lounging around, talking and laughing.

One woman spotted them and gestured to the others. All eight of them stood at their approach. The woman, a blonde woman with sparkling green eyes, smiled. "You must be the Jedi coming with us, right?"

Qui-Gon bowed deeply. "Yes. I am Qui-Gon Jinn, and this is my apprentice, Obi-Wan Kenobi."

Obi-Wan bowed as well. "Pleased to meet you," he said politely.

The woman smiled at him warmly. "I am Head Researcher Quanli Voht. These are my associates, Lucas Tremble," a young man, "Penne Voht, my youngest brother," a bearded man, "Sassi Levli," a peppy-looking brunette who waved, "Greon Nel," a sour-faced older man, "Jebthia Bray," a serious-seeming older woman, "Howik Wefler, but we call him Howie," an ethusiastic, dark-skinned young man, "and last but not least, our other Head Researcher and my partner, Greklen Sio," a somber man with graying hair. Quanli smiled. "That's all of us."

Qui-Gon nodded to each researcher as they were introduced in turn. "Well, I suggest we not waste anymore time. Let's get aboard and be off then, shall we?"

At his words, the six under-researchers grabbed their gear that was piled about the hanger and headed into a large transport. The two Head Researchers stayed with them for a moment longer.

Greklen cleared his throat. "We had decided on what seemed like a good plan, though we thought it best that we ran it by you Jedi first..."

"Very well," Qui-Gon said, tucking his arms inside his robes. "Tell me your plan of action for when we land."

Quanli glanced at Greklen, then said, "Well, we'd split into two teams and search for the ore that way. The planet is too cold to stay in one group for a long search. This way the search is bound to go quicker. Half of us will go to one end of the planet, and the other half to the other. Since there are two Jedi, we thought that perhaps one of you could be with one group, and the other...well, with the other." She looked hopeful.

Qui-Gon glanced at his padawan with concern. He wasn't sure he wanted Obi-Wan going off without him on the ice planet, though the plan seemed like a logical one. "You're right. That is an option that hopefully will make things go faster and we don't want to be on Hoth for all that long if we can avoid it since it's so cold. We need to make our trip as brief as possible."

Quanli nodded, relief obvious on her pretty face. "What we thought as well. So we will decide when we get there who goes with each group...or even on the ride there. I think it's an estimated week to get there. Perhaps we can all share stories of our backgrounds to gain knowledge and respect for each other?"

Greklen scowled at her. "Qua, no one wants to have a 'story time'."

Qui-Gon frowned a little glancing at Obi-Wan, who was suddenly grinning. "I'm sure that's a great idea, Qua." He sighed when the researcher beamed. Under his breath Qui-Gon muttered, "But I have a bad feeling about this."

Obi-Wan snickered.

i


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two  
  
Obi-Wan woke up, shivering. The man was standing near him, gazing at him. He had been a prisoner for maybe a day and the man near him had said hardly anything to him. "Who...you?" Obi-Wan slurred through chattering teeth. His wrists burned. "What...want?" The man simply smiled at him, then left the room. Obi-Wan whimpered, "Master?"  
Qui-Gon sighed and turned his head to look at Obi-Wan who was finally awake. "Padawan." He twisted, trying to move, and winced a little as the bindings on his wrists cut into him.  
"Master, who is he?" Obi-Wan asked, closing his sore eyes from the glare. The burns on his body were throbbing bubbles of pain that begged for his attention. More than that was his desire to know what was going on.  
"I honestly have no idea Obi-Wan," Qui-Gon said, gritting his teeth. "He's told me nothing since I was originally taken captive. All I know is that he seems to have a fondness for playing with fire." He winced as he felt the pain from a bad burn on his right leg.  
Obi-Wan sighed. "Do you think the research team got away safely, or are they going to search for us?" He felt a stab of guilt that he had disobeyed his master's orders in order to come find him, but he fervently hoped that the research team had followed his to leave.  
"I wouldn't know," Qui-Gon said a trifle testily, still upset that Obi-Wan had disobeyed orders. "If they leave without us, then we have no way off this planet."  
Obi-Wan couldn't stand to see his master so upset with him, so finally he decided to tell him why he had disobeyed. "Master, I saw..." he hesitated. Most Jedi did not see visions of the future, not on a regular basis, and this had been Obi-Wan's first clear vision. He hoped his master would believe him.  
"Visions are not set in stone, Obi-Wan. Remember the future is always in motion. You cannot allow visions to sway your judgment," Qui-Gon said, reading the direction of his thoughts.  
"But I saw..." Obi-Wan stopped, as his exhaustion from his illness and imprisonment set in. It was evident that his master wouldn't even listen to what he had to say, so he would conserve his strength by not speaking. In shame and hurt, he turned his face away from his master.  
Qui-Gon sighed. He hadn't meant to be so harsh, but following blind visions was a dangerous thing and Obi-wan needed to learn that. "What did you see?"  
Obi-Wan did not want to say now, but knew that he could not keep the information from his master. In a quiet whisper, he said, "Your death, here, by the hands of that man. After the vision, I felt the Force pulling me to come here, across the frozen wastes, to find you. It was so insistent that I could not refuse it."  
Qui-Gon was silent for awhile. After several minutes he finally spoke again. "There is no death, there is the Force. My Obi-Wan, all Jedi pass into it at some point or another. I will be no different."  
Obi-Wan felt hot tears sting his cheeks as he continued to keep his face away. In a suffocated voice, he murmured, "But I feel I cannot lose you, Master. I would be so lost without your guidance."  
"No. Obi-Wan, I need you're attention. Look at me please." Qui-Gon waited until Obi-Wan turned to face him. "I will always be there to guide you. Just perhaps in a different way."  
The thought of losing the only father figure he had, coupled with the images from his vision, caused Obi-Wan to break down crying. Right then, the man walked in, taking in Obi-Wan in a glance.  
"Not often one of my prisoners breaks down crying before I do much to them," he remarked in a cool tone. "So instead of feeling proud, I suppose I must thank you, Jinn, for this honor."  
Qui-Gon rolled his eyes and the man. "Don't you have better things to do than torment your prisoners? Surely a terrorist like yourself has something else important to do."  
The man showed just a flicker of annoyance cross his face before it smoothed again. "On any other world, then you would be correct, Jinn. But here on this ice bucket there is not much for us lowly terrorists to do than torture our prisoners mercilessly until they die. Now, since you refused to answer me earlier, I will ask again." He stood near Obi-Wan, a hot poker lit and glowing red in his hands. "Tell me what I want to know and spare your padawan. Why are you here on Hoth? Did you finally discover where we were hiding, or is it for some other purpose?"  
  
Obi-Wan eyed the hot poker nervously, but sent to his master, Don't tell him anything. He's just fishing to see what we're doing here.  
Qui-Gon clenched his hands into fists and his lips tightened into thin lines. He wouldn't say anything, though the thought of him hurting Obi- Wan who was already sick and injured made his stomach churn. "What business is it of yours? Perhaps I decided to take a vacation."  
The man casually let his hand dip down to touch the hot poker to Obi- Wan's already burned chest. Obi-Wan couldn't help himself and let out a howl as his flesh puckered and began to puss. The terrorist shook his head. "Come now, Jinn," he said over the sound of Obi-Wan's cry. "No one in his right mind would come to Hoth for a vacation. What are you really here for?"  
"Who said I was ever in my right mind?" Qui-Gon said, giving a small grin. "You just assumed I was."  
That seemed to catch the terrorist off-guard and he took the poker off of Obi-Wan's tender flesh. "You are Jedi—there are no insane Jedi," the man finally said, sounding slightly unsure. He picked up a small fruit that was sitting on a table near Obi-Wan and split it in half. "This, if you do not know, is a fruit from Tangoria that is rather sour in flavor, and hurts like nothing you've ever known when the juice is squeezed into open cuts and wounds. I will put this juice on your padawan if you do not answer. It's such a little answer, Jinn. Why are you here?"  
"Picking on innocents? Is that all terrorists seem to know? Don't you have any other methods other than hurting the ones that are already so sick and fuzzy that they barely know what's going on?" Qui-Gon asked, trying to distract him from Obi-Wan.  
The man squeezed the yellow fruit. As soon as the liquid hit Obi- Wan's burns, his eyes popped open and he screamed with pain. "Now, a secret all we terrorists know, is that if you hurt the young ones, then the older ones are more bound to walk in line. You seem to enjoy watching your padawan suffer." He stood and fetched a curved, metal hook. "This is hurt tremendously," he said as Obi-Wan shivered in pain. "Just answer the question, Jinn, and I leave your precious padawan alone. On my honor as a scoundrel." His hand poised above Obi-Wan's puffy flesh on his chest.  
Qui-Gon growled out. "You have no honor. How honorable is it to torture those who can't even answer you?"  
The man sighed, lowering the hook closer to Obi-Wan. "You aren't playing by the rules, Jinn." He glanced down at the semi-conscious Obi-Wan. In a tone of conspiracy among friends, he said, "It would seem your master doesn't really care about you. How does that make you feel?"  
Gritting his teeth, Qui-Gon Force-pushed the man away from Obi-Wan. "Don't touch him."  
The man didn't seem the slightest concerned over Qui-Gon pushing him out of the way. In a hardened tone, he said, "Answer the question and I will leave him be."  
In hard tone of voice Qui-Gon directed, "I have no need to torture you. I will go back to my office and read."  
The man shook his head sadly. "Reading is so overrated. Besides, that little trick just cost you dearly, Jinn." He took the hook and stuck it roughly into Obi-Wan's chest. Obi-Wan bit back a cry as the hook pulled upward on his tender flesh. "I will take this and do many unpleasant things with it if you do not answer. This is the last time that I am nice, to either of you. Jinn, answer the question! Why are you here?"  
Qui-Gon gritted his teeth. He knew Obi-Wan didn't need more injuries since he was so sick from being out in the cold. He would never heal that way. Irritably he said, "Because some crazy senator decided we should."  
The terrorist retracted the hook slightly, but still left it inside a pocket of Obi-Wan's flesh. He raised an eyebrow. "That wasn't so hard, was it? Why did a senator suddenly take interest in Hoth? Did they discover us hiding out here?"  
"Perhaps they like playing in the snow," Qui-Gon retorted. "I have no idea; why don't you ask them?"  
The man narrowed his eyes. "You're lying." His hand shifted in order to get a better grip on the hook.  
Qui-Gon rolled his eyes. "I think you're just paranoid. They didn't find you. Do you know how hard it is to find anything on Hoth? You can't even go outside without being knocked down by the wind so tracking equipment would be rendered useless."  
The man nodded, seeing the truth to his words, and took the hook out of Obi-Wan's skin. Obi-Wan immediately slipped into unconsciousness as the pain diminished. The man walked over to Qui-Gon, the hook with Obi-Wan's blood on it still in his hands. Very slowly, he inquired, "So why are you here, if not for us? Rational senators do not send Jedi to a frozen planet on a lark."  
"Who says the senate is rational?" Qui-Gon responded. "With all of that bureaucracy, how can they be? It would be enough to drive even the most controlled of Jedi insane if they were around that constantly."  
To both of their surprise, the man started laughing. "Yes, at least Coruscant is still the same. We have been here, hiding out, for quite a while..." He refocused on his conscious prisoner. "So, now what do I do with you? I was so certain that you were here to spy us out, but now it seems as if it were all a big misunderstanding. Good for us, bad for you." He thought a moment, tapping the hook lightly against Qui-Gon's arms.  
"Now wait just a minute! If this was just a big misunderstanding, can't it be fixed? That's what rational people do after all," Qui-Gon said, squirming slightly as he felt the hook against his arm.  
The man shook his head. "Oh, but you Jedi are so idealistic! No, because should I let you go, you will be obliged to tell about us, and we have no desire to move since we have finally gotten things to work here like they should. So now I must decide what to do with you."  
Qui-Gon sighed. "Well it was worth the effort at least. You should at least give my padawan a few comforts since it's apparent that he's coming down with a nasty case of the flu and I highly doubt that you want to catch it."  
The man glanced back briefly at the unconscious padawan whose hair hung with sweat. "Hm, his comforts will come at a price, Jinn, and I don't mean credits. We have no use for credits here." His intense green eyes made clear to Qui-Gon the price he would ask for.  
Qui-Gon sighed a little. He knew Obi-Wan wouldn't agree with his choice but he would do what he could to protect the boy and see that he survived. "Very well."  
The man seemed surprised. "You would risk your own health for the boy?"  
"He is like a son to me. My life matters little in the grand scheme of things. However he is young and has his whole life to live."  
The man nodded and, for a moment, seemed to soften. "I have a son; I know the feeling." He hardened again. "Though it will help you little." Without another word, he stabbed the hook into Qui-Gon's right leg and immediately sought for the bone with the hooked instrument.  
Despite his resolve not to scream, he couldn't prevent it from escaping as the white hot pain shot through his leg. Merciful Force—the pain of the hook burned through him as he felt it digging deeper, looking for bone.  
The man smiled when he felt the soft vibration through the hook that told him he had found what he sought. He used the hook to place increasing pressure on the bone in the leg of his prisoner, though he did not put so much as to break it yet.  
Qui-Gon dizzily tried to reach for the Force to try to dampen down the pain, keeping a tight hold on his mental shields so as not to wake his unconscious padawan. The fact that Obi-Wan was still out showed just how much suffering he'd already endured. Qui-Gon bit down hard, trying to prevent any more sounds from escaping.  
The man frowned. His other prisoners usually were screaming so loudly that the sound echoed throughout the room. He either wasn't doing this right, or this Jedi was made of sterner stuff than he looked. The man sighed, then put all of his weight down on the hook, snapping the leg bone like it were a twig.  
Qui-Gon yelled out in pain as his leg snapped in two. Force, but his leg throbbed with pain! He squirmed on the table, trying to escape the hook as self-preservation took over. "Stop," he panted. "I authorized this for only after you gave my padawan comforts. You're not upholding your end of the deal by keeping him chained down like that."  
The man removed the hook from Qui-Gon's leg and gave a small bow. "You are correct. He will be placed in a comfortable room, though locked, until his flu passes. Once that happens, he will be returned here." He turned around...and saw two blue eyes cloudy with pain gazing at him. Qui- Gon's mental cry more than his physical one had finally woken the padawan from his deep slumber.  
Master, what is going on? Comforts? A room?He questioned as the man unhooked his wrists, then his feet, and Obi-Wan slammed into the ground as his body was released.  
Don't question it, my Obi-Wan. Just enjoy it while it's available. Is that understood?He knew the boy would not like the bargain he'd made, but it was the sacrifice he'd had to make to spare his padawan's life.  
Obi-Wan allowed himself to be carried by two other men that had suddenly appeared. One took his weight on one shoulder, while the other took his weight on the other shoulder. He tried to get past his master's shields but could not. Master, where are they taking me?He felt fear as he was carried out of the room that housed his master.  
You're being housed separately. Do not be afraid. Just try to get well from this flu for me, padawan.He sent calming, healing waves to the boy.  
Obi-Wan kept his half-closed eyes on where he has being taken. This presented an opportunity. If he could remember how to get back to his master, he could try to escape and save him... His thought broke off as his body shivered. After his flu, that was.  
Qui-Gon sighed with relief as Obi-wan was taken away from him. At least his padawan was being taken care of. He shivered suddenly as the sweat pouring off him chilled him. He tried to move his right leg but it was useless. It had completely snapped.  
The man gazed at him thoughtfully, though did not say anything.  
Qui-Gon twisted, squirming on the table as his tunic soaked with sweat stuck to his back. He kept a tight hold on his mental shields, trying hard not to let any of his pain leak to Obi-Wan. His padawan had enough trouble already being sick with the flu. "You know, if you're planning on torturing me to death, the least courtesy you could give me would be to tell me your name and where I am."  
The man gave him a slight nod, hiding a smile. "I am called simply Dwine. You are on Hoth." Now he let his smile show.  
Qui-Gon rolled his eyes. "I knew the name of the planet—thanks for that woefully inadequate information."  
Dwine chuckled. "You are in the living quarters of the Cavrilhu pirates."  
Qui-Gon arched a brow. "Pirates? Oh, well, thank you for the information. Now if you'd please let me up so I can update my will to make sure my padawan receives all of my personal property..." He trailed off, wondering if it would work.  
Dwine shook his head. "Sorry, Jinn. You'll just have to hope your little Jedi bond is strong enough that he hears you...plus, although he is being taken care of as I said he would, he will not leave here alive either. I simply do not want my children to get sick from him before he goes."  
Qui-Gon gritted his teeth, irritated at that. He twisted and immediately regretted it as pain shot through his leg and he yelped. "Fine," he said sourly.  
Dwine put the hook down and examined another instrument, this one round. "Care to guess what this does?"  
"Not particularly," Qui-Gon said through clenched teeth.  
"Too bad. My son invented this...not for the purpose for which I use it, but it works quite well," Dwine said calmly. "Not many have survived the technique, though none have been Jedi. I wonder..." He trailed off and glanced at Qui-Gon, a cruel smile on his lips. "I'll save this for after lunch. I'm slightly hungry." So saying, he swept out the door.  
Qui-Gon eyed the instrument the man had put down. He wasn't sure he wanted to find out what it did. He forced down his fear with an effort. Better that he endured the torture rather than his sick, injured apprentice, he reminded himself. 


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three  
  
Obi-Wan tossed and turned in his cool covers. He had been placed on a low sleep couch and given light, airy covers with heavier ones to the side should he need them. His fever was getting worse...one minute he was burning up, the next he felt as if he were outside again on Hoth...outside again...  
  
i  
Qui-Gon carefully brought the ship down into Hoth's atmosphere and set it down. The wind buffeted the ship and made the landing rough. He winced a little at his rocky landing. "At least the ship is still intact this time," he muttered.  
A choked off chuckle came from behind him and Obi-Wan tried to turn it into a cough. Being stuck on a tiny ship with eight very naive researchers had been very trying for his master's patience, and now some of that was bleeding through, Obi-Wan could tell. "As long as we're alive this time," he quipped, in a good mood to finally see the planet after almost two weeks in space travel.  
Qui-Gon rolled his eyes. "For now." He stood and began pulling on his cold weather gear. He hated the idea of being burdened down by heavy clothes. It would make it very hard to move through the snow, but he knew it was necessary. Without proper protection on the freezing ice planet they would die.  
Obi-Wan, already in his heavy gear, pointed toward the large common room. "The researchers have finally decided who goes on what team, Master," he informed him. "They wanted to run it by you...and see if our splitting up has sat well with you yet." He raised an eyebrow, questioning. Qui-Gon had not seemed happy about him and Obi-Wan being split up, no matter how many times it was mentioned.  
Qui-Gon nodded slightly. "What's the plan so far? I still don't like this idea, but I realize it's our best action."  
Obi-Wan shrugged and led him to the common room. "Ask them," he said as he pointed at the two head researchers.  
  
Qua jumped up immediately. "Ask us what, young Kenobi?"  
Qui-Gon resisted the urge to roll his eyes again. As nice as the researcher was, being in close quarters was beginning to wear his patience. "What is the plan of action for splitting up?"  
Greklen answered. He jerked a thumb at each person as he ticked off their names. "One specialist per group, we think. Me, Penne, Sassi and Howik in one group--with you, Master Jinn-- and Qua, Lucas, Geron and Jebthia with your padawan in another. That way we all have what we need for brains in each area."  
Qui-Gon nodded his agreement. It sounded logical but he still didn't like it. "That sounds acceptable. I suppose we had better be off. The sooner we start looking, the sooner we can go back to Coruscant where it's warm."  
All heads bobbed in agreement with him on that one and the two groups gathered what they needed. "Okay," Qua instructed. "My group will start searching for the ore here while Greklen's group will go to the other side of the planet. We all ready?" She received three head nods, and then exited the ship.  
Obi-Wan lingered beside his master for a moment. Something nagged at him through the Force... "Master," he said at last. "I don't like it. Something's not right...not with the researchers, they're all fine. But it's something else...elusive..." He frowned, unhappy at not being able to be more specific.  
"I know. I feel it also padawan. I don't know what it is. That's why I don't like this idea of separating." He sighed. "Just be mindful and keep a close eye on your surroundings. I'll only be a thought away."  
Obi-Wan nodded. "Yes, Master." Then he walked off the ramp into the blistering cold of Hoth. He turned to watch the ship take off and disappear over the horizon forlornly. His feeling of unease only strengthened, but there was nothing he could do at the moment, so he turned around and started helping the researchers make environmental proof shelters.  
Qui-Gon set the ship down again in the middle of a frozen wasteland. The winds buffeted the ship but he managed to make a more steady landing than the last one. He sighed deeply as he stood and went to go meet the other researchers before disembarking. He was not looking forward to this at all.  
  
Obi-Wan glanced around him once the shelters were up. Heating units were going full blast so that they wouldn't freeze and their equipment wouldn't freeze as well while they were here. For now, the five stood huddled in a shelter as it slowly heated up. Obi-Wan felt lost and wondered what his master was doing. He sighed and turned to the authority figure in his group. "Qua, what now?"  
"Well," the animated researcher responded. "I'll bring up the map and images we've received and pinpoint where we think the ore might be. Then we'll have to run tests and see what we have."  
Lucas, a nervous-looking young man only a few years older than Obi- Wan, stuffed his hands in opposite sleeves of his pockets and chattered out between his teeth, "What about food for tonight?"  
"Lucas, not to worry," said Qua soothingly. "We have made preparations ahead of time and we brought a portable gas stove, along with the proper utensils. So we'll take turns with preparing meals. I volunteer to cook for tonight."  
The other three cheered and Obi-Wan couldn't help but smile. Evidently she was a pretty good cook. "What can I do?" He asked, wanting to be helpful.  
"You can come keep me company while I cook," she said with a small grin.  
Obi-Wan grinned. "That sounds like a job I can do." He followed her to the small stove.  
  
Qui-Gon met his group of researchers at the top of the ship's ramp. "I suppose we had better put up shelter before we lose the light. There's not that much daylight on Hoth."  
Greklen held up the poles of the shelter. "Already working on it, Jedi," he said gruffly. "You could be some help by scanning for anything that could eat us while we do this."  
Sassi hit Greklen's arm. "Be nice to the Jedi. He doesn't have to be here," she hissed at the burly researcher.  
Qui-Gon took the scanner from Greklen rather abruptly and headed down the ramp, turning it on. He reached out also with his senses, determining for the moment that there were no life forms close by—which wasn't really surprising. Nobody could survive for very long on Hoth.  
Sessi, Greklen, Penne and Howik struggled against the cold, strong winds of Hoth to set up the shelters. Finally, after many times of being hit by Sassi, Greklen approached the silent and watchful Jedi. "We could use your help," he mumbled to him, his words almost lost on the wind.  
Qui-Gon didn't verbally reply, but he moved to take one of the poles and used the Force to aide him and the other researchers in setting up their shelter. He again thought to himself about how much he hated the bulkiness of the heavy winter clothing in making a difficult task even harder.  
Greklen sulked, hating to have to ask for help with any project, but Sassi flirtatiously winked at the tall, handsome Jedi. She was glad she was in the group with him. His padawan was quite cute too and would one day really grow more into his looks, but here was a full-grown, sexy Jedi...and she the only woman in the group. This would prove to be fun. She caught his eye and winked again.  
Qui-Gon blushed slightly before turning away. Was that researcher actually flirting with him?! He was grateful for the cold. He could brush off the red heat in his face as having to do with the cold of the planet and wind. As soon as he could, he headed into the shelter they'd built.  
Sassi watched the Jedi's face go red. So, not all of them were totally without emotion like rumor said. Interesting. She would have to see what else she could do to warm the Jedi's blood before this trip was through. She was so happy, she even volunteered to do the night's cooking with the food they had brought with them—something she normally sneered at. This would be a trip full of memories.  
i 


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four  
  
Qui-Gon twisted in his chains, earning himself nothing but a pulled muscle and pain shooting through his broken leg. As soon as Dwine had left he tried to find another way out of his situation, but there didn't seem to be one—and now with his leg broken that would hinder his escape even more. He sighed, realizing that he would just have to endure until he either became one with the Force or help arrived.  
Dwine sauntered back in, smelling of zesty dewback ribs. "How are we doing? Still 'hanging' in here?" His words were slightly slurred and the smell of alcohol was strong on his breath as he leaned over Qui-Gon.  
Qui-Gon's stomach rumbled at the smell of dewback sauce that lingered in the air. He'd had nothing to eat since the day he'd been taken hostage other than one stale ration bar the first day of his captivity. "Unfortunately," he replied, dryly.  
Dwine grinned at him, a glint in his eye as he picked up the metal cylinder that he had shown him almost two hours earlier. "See this? Think you've figur....fig...got it thought out yet?"  
"I haven't been trying to figure it out," Qui-Gon said as he rolled his eyes. He'd been trying not to think about it and to figure a way out of this hopeless looking situation, but it hadn't done him any good.  
Dwine leaned against the table near him heavily. "Oh, it's pretty neat," he said, in a jovial mood from all the ale he had drank to bolster his spirits at lunch. "You see, I make a hole in your throat, then shove this down in it. Then I time you to see how long you can go without breathing. If I guess correctly, then I take it out in time for you to take a breath...if not, well, I'm pretty good at guessing."  
Qui-Gon's eyes widened in shock and his head spun at the thought. Dimly he hoped the man failed so that at least he wouldn't have to endure as much suffering.  
Dwine twirled the metal in his hands, letting it catch the lights and shine. "This will be fun," he chuckled, finally putting it down and reaching behind his back. After a moment he held out...a full bottle of ale. He grinned. "Even Jedi should drink every now and then," he said, chortling, as he walked closer to Qui-Gon.  
Qui-Gon turned his head away. He was not going to make this easy for his captor. The man reeked of alcohol and he had no intention of drinking any of it.  
Dwine's strong hand clamped around his throat and forced his head back around. The bottle was open now and right above his mouth. "Drink," Dwine ordered. "I'm being nice...this will help with the pain. Don't make me regret this." Qui-Gon's gaze narrowed and his dark blue eyes spoke volumes. Like the Sith he would drink that stuff. He would need a clear head if he was going to use the Force for a healing trance later.  
Dwine used four of his fingers to pry Qui-Gon's mouth open, and then shoved the neck of the bottle into the Jedi's mouth, forcing the liquid into his mouth and down his throat. "Drink, or choke," he said cheerfully.  
Qui-Gon choked and spewed some of it, trying to keep from having the bottle poured down his throat. Force, but it tasted horrible.  
Dwine kept the bottle shoved in his mouth until the last bit was gone. Only then did he take it out. "I'll let that stew for a while," he chuckled as he walked back out, stumbling slightly.  
Qui-Gon winced at the nasty taste in his mouth. Sith, but how did people truly enjoying drinking that stuff? He twisted and winced at the pain in his leg. Now where was Dwine going?  
  
Obi-Wan felt cool hands on his forehead and water was forced down his throat. His parched tongue begged for more, but no more came. He was hot. So hot. Sweat poured from his body. He wanted his master, but he dimly remembered that his master was currently chained to a table and unable to do him much good. He hoped to the Force that his illness would go away so that he could somehow rescue his master. Uneasy, he drifted back into memories that took the form of dreams.

i  
Qui-Gon sat at the far end of the makeshift table by himself, away from the other researchers. He didn't really feel like socializing much as he had nothing in common with them at all, so he decided he wouldn't get in the way. They were animatedly plotting their course of action for the duration of their stay on Hoth.  
Suddenly, Sassi broke away from the group and walked over to him, swaying her hips provocatively. "Hey there, Jedi. Can I call you Qui-Gon?" Her eyes shone with merriment as she waited for his answer. Qui-Gon arched a brow. "I guess since that is my name."  
Sassi playfully punched his arm. "So serious all the time!" She said, smiling. "Why don't you come over and join us? You must have traveled lots more than us so your input would be greatly appreciated." She ignored the glower she was getting from Greklen.  
Qui-Gon frowned a little. "No, really, I don't want to get in the way. I've never traveled before on Hoth," he said with a slight smirk.  
Sassi obviously wouldn't take 'no' for an answer, for she started tugging on his arm. "Aw, anything you know can be of help. Come join us."  
Qui-Gon sighed and stood reluctantly. He got the feeling he wasn't really welcomed by Greklen so he was careful to sit a few places away from him.  
Greklen shot him a dark look, but continued to talk over the map that they were looking at. "...this is where the ore on this side of the planet is rumored to be," he was saying, pointing to a region of ice caves. "Tomorrow we should concentrate on there first to get it out of the way...that is, unless the Jedi thinks otherwise." He did not look at Qui- Gon, though Sassi, Howik and Penne glanced at him hopefully.  
Qui-Gon shrugged a little. "It sounds fine with me. I'm not a leader of this expedition. I'm merely here as protection at request of the Senate," he said as he stared at Greklen.  
Greklen huffed but did not comment.  
Penne licked his lips in a nervous gesture. "We...we can't...contact the other team on this planet, can we? To check on them?" The younger brother of Qua said. Concern for his sister shone in his eyes.  
"Depends on the capabilities of the communication equipment we've brought along. I can check with my padawan and make sure everyone is alright."  
Obi-Wan...Qui-Gon sent.  
Immediately, Obi-Wan turned from his dinner. Master?  
Is everything alright with your team?  
Obi-Wan looked around at the team. Those who were finished eating were getting their packs together for the next day, checking and double- checking what they would need. Jebthia had located a kind of ice lake that they were going to take readings from in the morning. For now, Master. We are going to investigate a lake near here in the morning. How does your team fare?He knew that Qua might like to hear news about her brother.  
We're fine. Just having the end of dinner and discussing plans for tomorrow's search. We're planning to try a few caves to get readings from that are relatively close by.  
Obi-Wan nodded and smiled at Qua since she was staring at him quizzically. I'm not sure I like this, Master,he thought. The threat I felt before has grown in my mind.  
Qui-Gon frowned slightly at that—ignoring the conversation going on around him. I know. I feel it too. I don't like this. Be mindful, Obi- Wan.  
Obi-Wan gave his master the equivalent of a mental nod. I will be watchful, Master. Please, be careful.  
Force be with you, my padawan.  
Qui-Gon broke the connection. "The other team is fine. They're having no problems and they anticipate going to some frozen lakes to look for readings in the morning."  
All four faces had been staring at him during the exchange.  
"How...?" Penne squeaked out.  
Qui-Gon smiled a little bit, the corners of his mustache turning up. "The Force enables me to mentally communicate with my apprentice."  
Sassi's eyes shone with interest and Greklen huffed again. The burly man tapped the readout that they had been looking at, directing the crew's attention to him again. "We'll leave at 0700 hours tomorrow morning. I suggest we all get some sleep. The tents should be warm now."  
Qui-Gon nodded a little and stood, grateful for the opportunity to escape. He headed for his shelter and sighed as he entered the small space. It was cozy since the heaters had sufficiently warmed the place while he'd been having dinner. He shrugged out of his cold weather gear and into his comfortable sleep pants. He crawled into his portable sleep couch that he'd brought with him, intending to read for a few minutes before he went to sleep.  
A soft knock, then a slim shadow entered the tent. Sassi stood there, blinking snow from her eyelashes. "It must be lonely without your padawan near," she said softly, taking off her weather jacket. "I've heard that Jedi are hardly ever alone, always in the company of someone else, and that to be separated makes them lonely. Is this true?" Her tone was not of confrontation, but of soft curiosity as she turned to face him in a tank top, her light brown curls damp with snow.  
Qui-Gon arched a brow and sat up a little. He hadn't been expecting company. His face flushed as he hunted for his tunic, to no avail. "No, not actually. I'm quite comfortable with solitude. Jedi are trained to be comfortable in a variety of different social settings."  
Sassi knelt beside him, her face serious. "Like one like this?" She asked, then leaned over and kissed him passionately.  
Qui-Gon was taken aback as she leaned over and kissed him. Force, were all women researchers like this? He backed away from her a few feet—uncertain now of what to do and he pondered Force-assisting her to sleep.  
Sassi shook her head. "What's wrong? I thought that we had an attraction." She sounded distressed as she rocked back on her heels.  
Qui-Gon didn't know what to say. He opened his mouth and no sound came out. His face flushed with embarrassment. He felt like a schoolboy. He couldn't help himself. She was rather attractive with snow still in her hair.  
Sassi made a distressed sound and turned her back to him, draping slender arms around her knees. "I can see I made a mistake," she said in a suffocated voice.  
"No, no." He put a hand on her back gently. "I just was startled. I have no idea what to say."  
Sassi glanced up at him, tears unshed in her green eyes. "I didn't want to feel anything toward you. You're a Jedi...you're not supposed to love or get attached," she spat the word. "But I couldn't seem to help myself. Greklen....well, we've been apart for almost a year now and I wasn't looking for anyone. Then you came along..." She trailed off and shrugged, letting her hair fall across her face to hide her embarrassment. "I think I should just leave..."  
"What makes you say that?" He said as he scooted up to sit next to her and tentatively reached out to put his arm around her, uncertain as to how she might respond to it.  
Sassi's shoulders twitched slightly at his touch, but she did not pull away. "Well, you evidently don't feel the same way about me," she said in a low tone. "I think a person can only take so much embarrassment in one day, you know?"  
Qui-Gon was silent for several long minutes. He had no idea what to say to that. He did have some feelings for her and trying to control his emotions was proving more difficult than usual whenever she was around. He smiled a little at that. "So certain are you?" he said, finally turning her face to him with his free hand as he bent to kiss her gently.  
i

Dwine sauntered back into the chamber, even more unsteady than before. "How's it going, Jedi?" He laughed. He had left the Jedi alone for almost forty minutes.  
"Mmm. Fine," Qui-Gon said, his words coming out slurred. "Don' feel so bad. How're you?" The entire bottle of ale he'd been forced to consume was affecting his speech and his ability to think straight. He'd been singing to himself for the past twenty minutes.  
Dwine chuckled, slapping his knee. "Jus' fine. Who says Jedi don' have fun?" He stumbled over to a thin, sharp metal poker and picked it up. He turned to face Qui-Gon. "Any last words?" He grinned.  
Qui-Gon started singing again, picking up where he'd left off when he was interrupted. What had the man just said? He couldn't remember. "Did say somethin?" he asked in a very slurred voice.  
Dwine sighed and forced his vision to stop blurring by squinting his eyes. He leaned over the Jedi. "This might sting a little..." and he stabbed the sharp point of the metal rod into the middle of Qui-Gon's throat. He was careful to angle it so that it didn't stab all the way through, then he quickly pulled it out and stood to watch what the drunk Jedi would do.  
Qui-Gon gurgled and his eyes widened at the sharp pain in his throat. His eyes had a pathetic "what was that for" look in them.  
Dwine wasted no further time. He grabbed the round cylinder his son had crafted and stuck it down the Jedi's throat. His goal was to coat it in blood as much as possible, then take it out, have his wife sow the Jedi's throat back up, and have the blood to do what he needed with.  
Qui-Gon twisted, trying to escape without any success. His throat burned and he choked, trying to draw a breath. His eyes grew wide as breathing became difficult. He couldn't focus on the Force to help him either. The ale he'd been forced to drink made it hard for him to concentrate...it kept slipping away from him.  
Dwine rotated the cylinder in the Jedi's throat. Now perhaps he could take the blood, break it down, and discover the secret to the renowned powers that they had. True, a needle full of blood could achieve the same result, but since he was going to kill the Jedi anyway, he figured he'd indulge his cruel side a little. When he was done, he retracted the cylinder, and whistled his wife into the room. She bustled in, all business- like, and sat down to sew the Jedi's throat back together.  
Qui-Gon stared, his eyes wide as the woman came in. He couldn't breathe. Darkness was encroaching on his vision. His last conscious thought was hoping that at least Obi-Wan would be able to recover enough to escape.  
  
Obi-Wan tossed more on the bed, crying out in his fever. His throat hurt terribly and he didn't understand why. The pain was so incredible and he felt as if he couldn't breathe. A soft voice called to him to drink this, drink this, it was good for him, he was a good boy for obeying, wasn't that better, but Obi-Wan could barely focus on the voice and its command as his thoughts turned to his master. What was being done to his master? Crying, Obi-Wan sank into a dreamless sleep.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five  
  
Haggia struck Dwine in the face, hard. "What do you think you're doing, you drunken lout? He's Jedi! Not some poor traveler! The Jedi can tell when one of them's in pain and we'll have a whole group here, swarming all over us! What do you propose to do if the Jedi and his brat are dead when that happens? Do you not care about your children at all?" She was a stocky woman, the daughter of pirates who married a pirate. She felt no concern for the Jedi and the Jedi child, but she did fear for her children should the other Jedi find two of their own dead.  
Dwine sulked a little. "But Haggia...the Jedi and I made a deal," he said in a slurred voice. "His Jedi child will recover from his illness at the price of his life. He agreed."  
Haggai smacked him again. "I don't care!" She yelled in his face. "You get the Jedi brat well, and you get the Jedi well, then you dump them back on Hoth's waste lands. They'll die quick out there, and no one can trace it to us, or our children. You stupid, drunken nerfherder! Get them well! Now!" And she stormed away, muttering under her breath that if he had not been the leader of the pirates she never would have agreed to marry the lousy lout.  
Dwine pouted as his wife stormed away. What did she know about it? She was just a woman. He stomped back up to the Jedi's prison to check to see if the Jedi had awoken from unconsciousness. He supposed he should put him in bacta. After all, he might need more blood from him later to do research with.  
  
Haggai checked on the Jedi brat down the hall. "Is he recovering?" She asked his assigned caretaker, Asli.  
The petite woman shrugged. "His fever just broke. He got all squirmy a few minutes ago though, mumbled something about his master..."  
Haggia snorted. She was right, as usual. The Jedi did feel each other when they were in distress. They'd heal both of their captives as quickly as possible and then dump them to fend for themselves back on Hoth. "Keep an eye out for him. Get him whatever he wants until he's well. I'll be back later."  
Asli sighed a little as Haggia left. She glanced down at her charge, who was slowly coming around. "Here, drink this," she said, holding some more medicine to his lips.  
Obi-Wan felt slow and dried out. He blinked at the blonde leaning over him. Then he smelled what she held and almost gagged. He tried to mumble 'no', but it was clear she wouldn't take no for an answer so he turned his face away.  
Asli grumbled under her breath and grabbed Obi-Wan's throat, forcing his head towards her. "Drink," she ordered.  
Obi-Wan groaned, but finally slurped down the terrible smelling concoction. It tasted worse than it smelled and he was left, coughing and gagging, after choking it down.  
"I'm doing this to help you," she snapped. "I know it tastes awful, but it'll make you feel better."  
Obi-Wan groaned again. "By trying to kill me you're making me better?"  
"I'm not trying to kill you. If I wanted to do that I would've done it by now," she grumbled, irritated. "The medicine is not killing you. You're still alive enough to whine."  
Obi-Wan couldn't help but chuckle. "Sorry," he choked out, flipping himself over onto his back and feeling as if he were finally awake after a long time. "I've never taken medicine well."  
She scowled. "So I've noticed. I hope the Healers at your Temple don't have to put up with you much."  
Now Obi-Wan choked again, but this time with laughter. "Oh, you'd be surprised. We have set a record for our visits, my master and I." His eyes widened and he pushed himself weakly up on an elbow. "My Master...how is he? Where is he?"  
Asli pushed him back down. "He's alive and that's all you need to know. Rest."  
Obi-Wan fell back easily, but now all traces of humor were gone and he saw her for what she truly was: one of his captors. Quietly, he asked, "What do you want with us?"  
Asli shrugged. "Honestly, I'm just as clueless about what he wants as you are. He doesn't tell anybody anything around here except for his wife. But even if I knew, I wouldn't tell you, so don't ask."  
Obi-Wan sighed and flopped his head down. He was already exhausted from what little movements he had made. "Fine. Sorry I asked," he sighed.  
Asli sighed and her features softened slightly. "You'll get better soon. This medicine is already doing its job."  
Obi-Wan didn't answer as he turned his back to her. He knew that she herself would not harm him...for now. Now he had more memories of the vision to bounce through his brain and torment him. His master in a cell...blood mixed with some liquid running down his chest from his throat...bacta that did not help... How much of this vision was already coming true? How much had happened while he was here, sick and nearly out of his mind with fever? What if he couldn't save his master and this whole trip after him, disobeying his orders, was a waste? Obi-Wan squeezed his eyes shut and calmed his thoughts. He would not give in to what ifs and maybes. Uncertainties are many, and a clear path is hard to see, Jedi Master Tahl had told him once. For now, he would focus in the Force to help his master in whatever small way he could.  
  
Qui-Gon sighed deeply as he sat down in front of a door at the end of a long hall. He was so tired. He'd walked in these corridors for what felt like miles. He was tired of walking. He needed to rest.  
Don't rest yet...your time has not come, came a sexless voice to his hearing in this empty place.  
"But I'm tired," he whined, sounding in that moment like he was a padawan and twelve years old again.  
Your resting time has not yet begun. There is too much for you to do. Your padawan needs you.  
"He doesn't need me. He'll recover from his illness and go back to the Temple and be trained by someone who'll accept him with open arms," he said forlornly, referring to the fact that he didn't exactly welcome the boy when he was first apprenticed.  
Obi-Wan concentrated more deeply into the Force than he ever had. He felt the Force calling to him, just like with his vision of his master dying. Sinking into the Force with an ease he had never experienced before, he suddenly found himself in a long, featureless hall. His master sat at the end, holding his face in his hands. "Master!" Obi-Wan called out. He tried to go to him, but an invisible wall held him from his master. He sensed that it was his own master's shields. "Master!"  
Qui-Gon sighed. What was that racket? Who would be disturbing the peace of such a pleasant place? He reached out trying to find out who it was, lowering his mental shields.  
Obi-Wan stumbled, the shields gone, and he raced to his master. He knelt at his feet to force him to look at him. "Master?"  
"Obi-Wan? What are you doing here?" Qui-Gon asked as he curled his knees to his chest.  
Obi-Wan frowned. "I've been searching for you. The Force showed me where to find you. Follow me, Master, and I'll take you back where you belong." He bit his lip, anxious to get his master back closer to the living side of the Force. He sensed his master fading...just like in his vision.  
"But I'm so tired. Can't I just rest awhile? It hurts over there. It doesn't here."  
Obi-Wan knew that time was running out. He shook his head. "There's no time. You can rest after you follow me." He stood and held out his hand to his master. "Will you follow me?"  
Qui-Gon sighed a little and got to his feet groaning as he stood up. "I guess." He mumbled unenthusiastically. "I don't know the way back. I got lost."  
Obi-Wan smiled encouragingly at his master...and father figure. "Take my hand. I can show you the way."  
"Do I have to?" He glanced back at the door. It was so much more comfortable here. He knew what awaited him if he followed Obi-Wan back.  
Obi-Wan frowned. Maybe it was time for tough love. He put a demanding note to his voice that he did not feel as he said, "If you quit on me now, what am I supposed to do? How could you just give up like this? If you're going to just go, then you are not the Jedi Master that I thought I knew." He forced himself to frown. If this didn't work...  
"Obi-Wan," Qui-Gon said warningly. "It is not your place to be so disrespectful. Alright, I'll come with you."  
Obi-Wan's heart thrilled within him but he adopted a sullen look and mumbled, "Yes, Master." He then turned around and started walking. "This way."  
Qui-Gon sighed and gave the door one last glance then walked back beside Obi-Wan.  
  
Hands roughly shoved at him and Obi-Wan blinked rapidly against the sudden bright light around him. "Wha...?" He saw that it was his torturer and that he was frantic.  
"Shut up, Jedi!" Dwine snapped. His earlier relaxation from being drunk was gone, replaced by his fear of his wife and what the Jedi would do if he killed one of their own. "Your Master needs you for somethin' so I'm leaving you with him for awhile."  
Obi-Wan allowed himself to be shoved out the door and down the hall toward a different room than he had been taken from while sick a day ago. He was then pushed into a very small room that held only a bacta tank...which housed an unconscious Qui-Gon Jinn. His long hair floated around his body and a recently sewed hole in his throat showed red...inflammation. Obi-Wan gasped. This was one of the images from his vision. Did his trip through the Force not work?  
"Look, Jedi," Dwine snapped. "I don't have time for your master to go trying to die on me. Save him and help him recover. Or else."  
Obi-Wan opened his mouth to ask what in the galaxy the man could do to him when the door slammed shut and was locked. He sighed and sat down on the chair pushed up against the bacta tank's glass. Master?He sent, trying to see how well his recent excursion into the Force had helped, or not, his master.  
Qui-Gon's eyes fluttered open. Obi-wan?he queried as if he were uncertain. He glanced around and saw his padawan sitting down on a chair close by.  
Obi-Wan breathed a sigh of relief. It's me,he reassured his master. You have our captors worried, though I'm not quite certain as to why they don't want us to die...  
Neither am I. Good, after all they put me through they should be worried.  
Obi-Wan chuckled softly. Well, they've just made a very bad mistake, putting the master and the padawan back together again.He noticed his master's broken right leg and the gash on it from the hook that had been used on his own chest. He shuddered, feeling his tunic--whom someone must have placed back on him while sick--rub against his bad burns. He hated bacta...but now he kind-of wished he could be in there with his master. The burns were like pits of fire on his chest, and the hook had not helped them heal at all. With your leg, I suppose we'll have to figure out a really clever way to get out of here.  
Unfortunately, my options of escape appear to be very limited—to zero,Qui-Gon said ruefully.  
Obi-Wan wasn't willing to give up yet. You just rest, Master, and I'll see what I can find while you're recuperating.He stood, and winced at the soreness from his muscles from sickness.  
Wait a minute. You've not recovered fully from your illness,Qui- Gon said through their link, his mental voice sounding a little slurred.  
Obi-Wan blocked his master from feeling his weakness. Again, he urged, Rest well, Master.  
Obi-Wan. Do not defy my orders again. Twice in one mission—you'd be asking for it when we get back to Coruscant.  
Obi-Wan smiled and used a technique that Master Yoda had just taught him to ease someone to sleep who needed it. He focused in the Force, concentrated on his Master, and slowly eased him to restful sleep. Qui-Gon would not be happy when he awoke, but he would be better for it. His eyes flicked back to the walls. Now, to search for a way out... 


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six  
  
Obi-Wan flopped down on his padded portable sleep couch in his tent. The wind howled outside, a low and mournful sound. He felt like he was a giant block of ice. They had been searching all day around the lake and found nothing, though Qua assured them that it could simply mean that their instruments weren't working correctly in the bitter cold. He sighed and for the millionth time that day wondered about his master.  
A dull bell clanged, barely audible in the wind, summoning the group to dinner. He would have to go out in that wind again to get to the central tent where they ate and had meetings.  
There is no cold, there is the Force, he thought to himself ruefully as he stood and braced himself against the biting wind. Quickly, he struggled against snow pelting his face to stumble into the dry central tent. He saw that Greon was cooking tonight. "Hello," he greeted, eyeing the group as they stopped talking at his entrance. Something told him that they were planning something...  
  
Qua smiled warmly at Obi-Wan as he entered. "Hi, Obi-Wan," she greeted cheerfully. "We've just been discussing our plans. I want to try looking in just one more place before we loose the light. But I don't want to leave the camp unattended," she said as she glanced at him.  
  
Obi-Wan frowned as he took his dish of food. The only ones who hadn't scarfed down their food were himself and Lucas, it seemed. "So I assume you want me to stay here? Wouldn't I better off protecting you?"  
  
Qua shook her head. "I won't be going alone. Greon and Jebitha are going with me. Someone needs to stay here."  
  
Obi-Wan glanced at Lucas, who smiled at him wanly. "So Lucas and I are staying here? Why can't he just stay and I go with you?"  
  
"He'll need protection. I don't think it's a good idea for any of us to be alone. If he ran into trouble or something then he would be alone without any help," she explained.  
  
Obi-Wan sighed. It looked as if nothing he could say would get him out of staying at the camp. "How long will you be?"  
  
"Not too long, I hope. We have to be back before the sun goes down. No one could survive night on Hoth without proper shelter," Qua informed him.  
  
Obi-Wan nodded, and finished his meal. By the time he was done, the three researchers had left. Lucas was fiddling with something at his table. Obi-Wan sighed and approached him. "What's that?" he asked, curious. It was a small black box with complicated dials and metal prongs on it.  
  
"It's called something I can't pronounce, Jedi. Gonna see if we can boost the warmth in this place. It's still kind of cold to me. It's a heater, but Qua got it from some planet that calls it a really odd name," Lucas explained eagerly.  
  
Obi-Wan felt a prickle of warning through the Force. Slowly he started to back away. "You do know how to use it, right?"  
  
"Of course I know how to use it. Don't be stupid," Lucas said as he crossed two wires.  
  
Obi-Wan felt the Force flare right as Lucas crossed the two wires, and then he knew nothing as his world exploded into light.  
  
Qui-Gon dozed on the portable sleep couch in his shelter, Sassi curled up right next to him. He jerked awake, sitting up abruptly, feeling the bond between himself and Obi-Wan suddenly get cut off. Obi-Wan?!he sent.  
  
Sassi was startled awake by his movements. She blinked, rapidly becoming awake and gazed at him. "What? What is it?"  
  
"Obi-Wan's in some kind of trouble. I lost contact with him," he said in a worried voice.  
  
Sassi frowned. "Obi-Wan himself, or the whole other team? Can you tell?"  
  
"I think it's just Obi-Wan, but I don't know for certain," he responded, frowning a little.  
  
Sassi propped herself on her elbow. "Do we need to rouse the team and go over there?" She reached for her top and pants.  
  
Qui-Gon continued to frown. "No," he said at last. "Let me wait for a few minutes and see if I can rouse Obi-Wan. If I can't then we'll go look for them."  
  
Sassi nodded and snuggled back into the very warm blankets beside Qui- Gon. Her eyes remained on his face, concerned and wide.  
  
Qui-Gon lay back down and sighed. He wondered what had happened to Obi-Wan and hoped it hadn't been anything too serious.  
  
Qua hurried back toward camp when she heard the dull explosion. She knew that Lucas was accident-prone, but she had hoped by tactfully getting Obi-Wan to stay with him that things would be safe. As she hurried up the hill and saw flames licking at the central tent she felt her heart sink. She must have been wrong.  
"We've got to see if they're okay," she shouted over the now-dying wind as she sprinted toward the tents.  
  
Obi-Wan!Qui-Gon sent after several, very long minutes. He sighed when there was no reply. "Sassi. Let's go. We have to wake the rest of the team."  
  
Qua peered through the smoke and flames to try to find the two people who had to be in the tent. Quickly, she spotted one of them lying sprawled nearer the door than the other. "Help me!" She screamed as she rushed into the tent. She and Greon took a shoulder each and pulled the young man out of harm's way. Flames ate at his clothing and Qua frantically patted them out in the snow, revealing a chest that was badly burned from fire, bits and pieces of some metal imbedded there. Obi-Wan Kenobi was unconscious. "Take him to his tent," she barked as Jebthia came running up with Lucas' body in her arms. There was no hope to save the young researcher—he must have been at the brunt of the explosion. Qua closed her eyes in mourning.  
  
Qui-Gon set the ship down close to where the other team's shelter had been set up. Smoke was billowing and flames were shooting out of it. His breath caught in his chest. Obi-Wan.  
He unstrapped from the chair as soon as he touched down, and dashed toward the ramp, waiting impatiently for it to lower.  
  
Qua met him at the bottom of the ramp. Tears rolled down her cheeks, though she managed to say in a reasonably calm voice, "The explosion happened about an hour ago. We thought that you might come." She sniffed, her light skin paling further.  
  
"What happened?" he questioned anxiously, worry for his padawan eating at him as he saw the tears pouring down her face. He couldn't contact Obi-Wan. Their bond had abruptly severed.  
  
Now Qua's voice did break, and she did not look at him, nor at the other team members who had joined them at the bottom of the ramp. "Lucas was fiddling with something and it exploded in the central tent. He didn't make it. Obi-Wan..." She hesitated, then glanced up at him, choking on a sob. "We don't know yet."  
  
Qui-Gon headed for the shelter running as fast as his bulky clothing would let him. Sassi was right behind him. He had to find Obi-Wan. He had to be alright. He choked as the smoke billowed out of the shelter as he entered.  
  
"He's not there!" Qua shouted from behind him. "He's been placed in his tent. Second down the left row..."  
  
Qui-Gon abruptly turned around and headed in the direction she said. He entered Obi-Wan's tent, and his heart fell into his stomach at what he saw.  
  
Obi-Wan lay on his portable sleepcouch, his hair in disarray around his face, his Padawan braid singed. His chest, face and arms were covered in puss-filled third-degree burn bubbles. At first, he did not seem to breathe at all, then a very slight rise of his chest showed that he was in fact alive, though hanging on for all he was worth.  
  
"Oh, Obi-Wan, what happened?" Qui-Gon whispered to his unconscious padawan. He went over to him and gently took his hand, sitting down in a chair next to the sleep couch. Obi-Wan?He sent again into the Force, hoping the boy would feel that he was there.  
  
No answer. Sassi slowly walked into the tent and put her arm around Qui-Gon's shoulders in silent support. The padawan looked so fragile laying there, barely breathing. Finally, after several silent minutes, she whispered, "Can you help him any?"  
  
Qui-Gon sighed deeply. "No. I can't even reach him." He stood. "He's not responding. I'm going to go meditate for awhile and then I'll be back to check on him."  
  
"Be careful!" she called after his retreating back in the dark of the evening, then turned to Obi-Wan. With a sigh, she sat down next to him and gently held his hand. "You must get better!" she whispered to him urgently. "You must!"  
  
Qui-Gon sighed as he headed away. He needed to get a clear head to try and figure out where to go from here. He hoped the Force would give him some guidance.  
  



	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven  
After two hours of searching, Obi-Wan was pleased to see that this room was not as tightly sealed off as the other rooms were. Escape from here would be easy, should his master be able to walk, which with that leg was highly doubtful. He sighed and buried his face in his hands, more for show if anyone was watching than from hopelessness. He wondered when his master would wake again. Oh, would he be angry! But Qui-Gon frequently tried to shield him from life, and in this situation it could get them both killed.  
  
Qui-Gon's eyes fluttered open several hours later and his gaze darkened as his eyes focused on his errant padawan. Obi-Wan, that was entirely unnecessary,he said sharply through their link.  
  
Obi-Wan had dozed off with his head in his hands. His master's sharp rebuke brought him wide awake quickly. Perhaps it was more so than you wanted it to be,he replied, a bit more testily than he usually would have. His burns were causing his temper to flare.  
  
I would advise you to watch your tongue, Learner. You have twice disobeyed my direct orders on this mission. I highly doubt you want to find yourself in more trouble,Qui-Gon snapped.  
  
Obi-Wan's own patience snapped as well and he stood up in front of his master. You are trying to protect me, and I thank you for that. But with you so injured you can't coddle me on this mission, or we'll both be killed.His blue eyes met and held his master's.  
  
You didn't even give me the chance to coddle you,Qui-Gon said, twisting a little in the tank. By Force-pushing me to sleep against my will you questioned my judgment. I merely stated a fact that you were not recovered. I do not appreciate the way that you handled the situation.  
  
Obi-Wan turned his head aside. I did what I felt was best,he returned. As you often do yourself.His disobedience with his master stemmed from letting Lucas 'take care of things' and end up killing him, and nearly killing Obi-Wan. Obi-Wan himself did not see it, but the Force suggested this reason for Qui-Gon to understand.  
  
I see. So you felt that you couldn't trust me. That's the root of this issue isn't it?Qui-Gon sent.  
  
Obi-Wan suddenly realized that his master was right. He slumped back down into the chair and pressed his hands to his face. I didn't mean not to, Master. I just...He trailed off, feeling as bad as he had when he returned from Melida/Daan.  
  
Even if you don't trust my orders, as my apprentice you are still obligated to follow my instructions. You have no authority to make up your own. Are we clear on this, Obi-Wan?Qui-Gon said, a trifle testily.  
  
Obi-Wan sent an acknowledgement that didn't even constitute an actual thought. Guilt plagued him. How could he have done that?  
  
Qui-Gon floated in bacta in silence for several minutes. He wanted out. He was getting tired of being cooped up in the small chamber. He fidgeted again. Obi-Wan...I don't suppose you managed to find a way out of here while I was out....he sent hopefully.  
  
Now this was something that Obi-Wan did have a positive answer to. Yes, I did, Master. But I don't know if they are monitoring us or not. If they are, the moment you get out of there they will know.  
  
Oh, don't worry about that,Qui-Gon sent ruefully. With a broken leg it'd be rather impossible to get out of this tank on my own. We'll just have to wait for our opportunity to present its self.  
  
Obi-Wan's joy faded and he sighed. They sure seemed frantic when they got me, Master. I thought they wanted us to die, then they were afraid that we were going to. I've thought a lot about this and have a few theories, if you would like to hear them.  
  
Sure. It's not like I'm going anywhere,his master tried to joke.  
  
Obi-Wan hid his chuckle by coughing. Well, either they think someone is going to come for us and wreak havoc with them if we are dead, or they don't want to kill us themselves so as to not bring attention to themselves. Either way, it probably means only one thing: eventually they are going to put us outside again.  
  
Qui-Gon tensed at that news as he realized his padawan was probably right. He sighed a little. How in the Force would they survive this?  
  
Qua sat beside Sassi beside the very still youth. His skin had a grayish cast and some of his burns had leaked out of their bubbles, a slow sign of healing. She sighed, again mentally kicking herself for not letting the young Jedi be more prepared. She only hoped that Master Jinn would return soon so they could leave to get Obi-Wan back to some kind of medical help.  
  
Qui-Gon sighed as he headed back towards the main shelter where Obi- Wan was. His meditation had proved unfruitful and his mind was as unrested as ever. Part of the problem had been the feeling of unease that kept trying to rear its ugly head at him. He had tried to chase it away with calming techniques, but it hadn't worked.  
  
Qui-Gon grunted as a stunblast hit him full in the back. He'd felt the sudden warning from the Force, but due to the heavy clothing he couldn't maneuver as easily as he could normally and so was slower to get his saber out. He fell flat on his face in the snow and fought for consciousness.  
  
The man who stunned him chuckled and kicked the lightsaber hilt away from the big man. "Thought you could just sneak up on us like that in the white snow, did you? We're not that stupid, Jedi." Then he viciously kicked him in the head.  
  
Qui-Gon gritted his teeth as he tried to maintain consciousness, but the hard kick to his head rang his ears and the world went black around him.  
  
Obi-Wan saw flashes of images, confusing to him and swift in his sight. His master floating, injured, in a bacta tank....it swiftly blurred into an image of Qui-Gon fiercely battling, one leg twisted up behind him and sweat pouring down his brow...Obi-Wan holding his master's lifeless body, tears streaming down his cheeks, holes from numerous blaster bolts pouring blood out of his master's dead body...Obi-Wan, sick and confused, in a featureless room...and, finally, Qui-Gon, strapped to a table, bleeding his life away.  
Obi-Wan woke with a start, sweat beaded on his own brow and his chest, arms and face a burning mass of pain. He whimpered and tried to find his center in the Force to beat back the pain when he heard a woman speaking to him. He didn't recognize her at first, then listened more closely, her voice growing louder in his ears as he did so.  
  
"Obi-Wan!" Qua said with a rush of relief seeing him awake. "We've been so worried about you! How are you feeling?"  
  
Obi-Wan groaned, not wanting to have to move his blistered lips. Someone rubbed a damp clothe across his face and mouth and he could taste bacta dripping off of it into his mouth. Almost immediately his lips felt a little better, so he answered, "Hungry. Hurting. Where's Qui-Gon?" He forced his eyes open to look at Qua and Sassi.  
  
Qua shook her head and shrugged helplessly. "We don't know. He went to meditate over twelve hours ago and never came back"  
  
Obi-Wan felt his heart freeze. "Twelve hours?" he repeated hoarsely. Images from his...dream? vision?...flashed through his mind.  
  
Sassi bit her lip, worry on her pretty features. "We've been trying to figure out what we should do. You don't think he just might be um...really connected in deep meditation, do you?"  
  
Obi-Wan doubted it, but he didn't want to worry the women. "Let me see if I can reach him," he said, hiding his exhaustion from them and stretching deep within himself. Master?  
  
Obi-Wan....  
  
Obi-Wan perked up at the connection to his master. Master, where are you?He tried to mask the pain from his injuries from his master, concentrating instead on a strong connection with Qui-Gon, who somehow felt as if he couldn't hold on to the mental communication.  
  
It doesn't matter. Don't come after me. That's an order, am I understood?Qui-Gon sent back.  
  
Obi-Wan was taken aback by his master's sharp tone. He hurt and ached all over, and did not understand...then his vision slammed into him. Master...he started to protest.  
  
Obi-Wan.Qui-Gon's tone was sharp. This is not a request. Stay with the researchers. They'll take good care of you and get you well from your injuries.  
  
Obi-Wan was left alone as his master abruptly shut off his end of their bond. Obi-Wan stared at the women researchers. "He's..." he paused, at a loss for words. The image of himself holding his master's lifeless body came to his mind and he suddenly decided that as long as he was able to, he would never let his master die if he were near. "How much bacta do you have?" he reversed topics. If he could get himself well enough, he could go after his master.  
  
Sassi frowned at the sudden change of topics and she stared at Obi- Wan worriedly. "He's not injured, is he?"  
  
Obi-Wan narrowed his eyes. "I'm not sure. But if I'm going to find him, I need to be well enough to move. That requires a lot of bacta. How much do you have?"  
  
Qua frowned, thinking. "We brought plenty with us in case of emergency, but I don't know how well bacta does in sub-zero temperatures."  
  
Obi-Wan took her hand gently, mindful of how his skin ached and burned with every movement. "Could I please have all that you can spare? I need to be healed as much as possible. My master needs me." He did not tell them that Qui-Gon had strictly forbidden him to follow.  
  
Qua nodded. "Of course," she said without hesitation.  
Sassi arched a brow. "Hold on," she interrupted. "You can't go out like that, even with bacta; it won't be enough to heal all your burns! Qui- Gon would kill us if you went out in the snow and died because of wounds that needed treating."  
  
Obi-Wan slowly eased himself into a sitting position. He tried to hide how much it hurt, but couldn't keep a hiss from escaping. "Well," he said in a tight tone. "It's either that, or I go out without bacta treatment." He locked gazes with Sassi, sensing that his master was special to her. "Either way, I'm going." His tone was resolute.  
  
"Fine," she said. "But I'm going with you. You shouldn't be walking around injured by yourself, let alone in the snow with those heavy clothes."  
  
Obi-Wan didn't want her to go, but figured he shouldn't press his luck at the moment. He was Jedi...he would find a way to lose this woman in the snow.  
  
Qui-Gon's back throbbed with pain. He clenched his teeth, determined not to make anymore noise than necessary. He hoped Obi-Wan obeyed his order to stay put. He was expanding some of his energy in keeping himself cut off from the boy. He hated to do that to his apprentice, but Obi-Wan was already hurting and there was nothing he could do. He twisted, but had no freedom of movement being bolted to the wall as he was. His stomach was toward the wall and his muscles stretched taunt. He twisted again but could get no leverage.  
  
"Tell me why you are here, Jedi," the man said, pausing in his whipping for the fortieth time. Always he asked the same question before he would start whipping him again.  
  
"No." He sighed. "Don't you get tired of doing your own dirty work?"  
  
The man smiled calmly. He hardly ever got angry. "No," he replied pleasantly. "I find that if the leader does the work, then the others will be more fearful. As a Jedi Master, surely you have seen this?"  
  
Qui-Gon rolled his eyes at that answer. "I don't usually pay attention to things like that in my missions."  
  
"Oh?" The tone was one of puzzlement. "Well, then perhaps you will quit stalling and tell me what I wish to know. Why are you here? Are you here for us?"  
  
Qui-Gon gritted his teeth. "Did you hit your head on something? How many times do you need it repeated that I'm not going to give you any information?"  
  
The man's tanned, but paling face was one of confusion. "Do I need to explain to you the consequences again? You know that I know you have a padawan, dear to your heart, that is out there somewhere, no doubt waiting on a signal from you. They will find him and kill him before your eyes. All I want is one little piece of information..."  
  
Qui-Gon's jaw tightened. As long as there was breath in him he would protect his padawan. "I'm afraid I can't do that. See, my apprentice is under direct orders to stay put."  
  
The man chuckled. "My children never obey me. Why should I believe this child is any different?"  
  
"He is Jedi," Qui-Gon responded. "Jedi are taught to obey at a very early age."  
  
The man frowned, a flicker of anger passing on his face. "Then we will go find him, wherever he is." He raised a brow. "It's such a simple question with a small answer really..."  
  
Qui-Gon rolled his eyes and didn't respond. He was tired of being asked the same question over and over again.  
  
"I can see that you are bored," the man said, chuckling. "Perhaps I should be more inventive in my ways of gleaning your answer. Get him down, but be wary," he barked to others who were watching in the back. Cautiously, they approached the wounded Jedi and unbuckled his wrist binders on the wall, catching him as he fell.  
  
Qui-Gon grunted in pain as his stretched muscles were released from the wall. Force, but he hoped Obi-Wan obeyed his orders—for once.  
  
The man whistled softly and directed the Jedi to be taken to a metal device that he was strapped to that conformed to his body shape. The sharp nails on the other end of it conformed to be able to slice into his skin at precise pain-centers on the body. The man waved the others away. "I apologize for the primitive device, but we couldn't bring much with us," he said, sounding sincere in his apology. "And we've found it works just as well as anything else." He shrugged.  
  
Qui-Gon hissed in pain as the sharp nails sliced into him. He clenched his teeth. "I'm afraid I'm going to have to wait to accept your apology."  
  
The man merely smiled. "They haven't gone in as much as they could yet..." he said softly, his hand on the controls. "Now, one last time before I bring you much pain and then start looking for your little padawan in earnest...Why are you here on Hoth?"  
  
"Why is anyone on Hoth?" Qui-Gon retorted. "To play in the snow of course."  
  
The man shook his head and touched the controls. "Wrong answer. Now you and your padawan will pay." He left the room as the nails bit deep into Qui-Gon's flesh.  
  
Qui-Gon screamed as the pain was increased tenfold. He lost his hold on his bond with Obi-Wan, accidentally letting the pain slip through their link. He twisted and tried to get away. Pain shot through him, and mercifully he passed out.  
  



	8. Chapter Eight

**Chapter Eight  
**  
The man stomped into the chamber, a scowl on his face. Tapping a long, metal rod lightly on his palm that was glowing at one, flattened end, he said, "Your Padawan is proving difficult to capture, but we should soon have him. Why don't you make his imprisonment unnecessary, Jinn? He seems a little worse for wear already. Tell me what I want to know: Why are you here?"  
  
Qui-Gon frowned a little as he stared at the man. He hadn't told the terrorist even who he was so how did he know his name? "We've never been formally introduced so how do you even know who I am?" he said dryly, stalling. "And of course my padawan's proving difficult to capture—he is learning the Jedi craft, after all."  
  
The man gave him a look. "We might be on a backwater planet, Jinn, but we do have our resources intact. Plus, a slicer who is excellent at slipping past the Jedi Temple's security. It was very simple to find out who you and your padawan are." The man gazed at him a moment, debating inwardly, then said, "You probably do not know this, and I will tell you as a gesture of good faith that information will be presented to me in return...Obi-Wan is in very bad shape. I've been told that he is on his way in with several of my people, and though putting up a worthy fight, is extremely injured and sick. Did you know?" He gazed down at Qui-Gon quizzically.  
  
An odd look flickered across Qui-Gon's face somewhere between anger and concern. He grunted in displeasure and pulled at the straps restraining him to the chair. So Obi-Wan had disobeyed him had he? Well he would learn the consequences for his actions once they arrived back at the Temple, Qui-Gon promised himself darkly. "No. I did not," he said flatly. He didn't add that it was because he'd been closing himself off from the boy attempting to keep his end of the bond shut so Obi-Wan wouldn't put himself at risk.  
  
The man silently observed him for a moment, then said off-handedly, "Children." His tone changed to a darker and more menacing one. "It is your turn to offer information, Jinn. Why are you here?"  
  
"I just did offer information," Qui-Gon pointed out mildly. "You asked if I knew and I answered. That's all the information I'm giving."  
  
The man's gaze darkened. "Why are you being so difficult? It is just a small piece of information that I want!"  
  
"You're just lucky I guess. I want to be away from Hoth instead of chained to this chair—can't always have what we want in life," he replied, his tone of voice sounding like a professor in a classroom lecture.  
  
"Fine!" The man snapped. "Then let's try to coax it out of you a little more, shall we?" Without waiting for a reply, he stuck the extremely hot metal rod against the bottom of Qui-Gon's feet and pressed in hard.  
  
Qui-Gon inhaled as the sharp, hot metal burned into the bottom of his feet. The pain was incredible. He felt as if he were on fire and yet freezing all at the same time from the sweat chilling his body. The longer the rod was held to his feet, the deeper it burned, and he swore viciously, determined to try to keep silent lest his apprentice hear him in his pain.  
  
A loud knock sounded from behind them and the man twisted around, a satisfied look on his face. "Ah, here at last," he remarked as a shivering, extremely pale Obi-Wan was shoved into the room. He landed on the floor and didn't move. The man glanced at Qui-Gon. "Now we'll get our answers, but first I need to prepare." He lifted the rod from Qui-Gon's feet and ordered Obi-Wan to be tied to a long pole near Qui-Gon so that the boy was dangling by his hands and feet, like a gundar at a feast. "I'll be back soon," the man promised as he walked out.  
  
Qui-Gon breathed a sigh of relief as the man left. He yelped a little from his breath and grimaced as he tried to wiggle his toes. A sharp pain shot through him. He immediately desisted and craned his neck to try to look at his apprentice.  
  
Obi-Wan was so pale that even his freckles weren't showing. A thin film of sweat covered his body and his chest, arms and some of his face (his tunic being removed by the man when strapping him in place) were covered with unhealed sores and blisters from the explosion. Obi-Wan shivered, though he seemed hot. "Master," the boy said through chattering teeth, "I'm ...sorry..."  
  
"It's a bit late for that now, apprentice," Qui-Gon said, sighing a little as he twisted in his bonds. He hurt—everywhere. But he knew his pain didn't really matter at the moment. Obi-Wan was obviously sick and injured.  
  
Obi-Wan then glanced over at his master. His sight was blurry and his eyes hurt but he couldn't help but laugh when he noticed all the little dots over his master's body.  
  
"Something amusing you, Obi-Wan?" Qui-Gon asked rather testily. He saw nothing funny about the situation the two of them both happened to be in.  
  
Obi-Wan choked, and managed to force out, "You look like one of those dotted books that I used to enjoy drawing lines with when I was in the creche." He had tears in his eyes, but it wasn't from laughter. His whole body hurt and felt like fire. Again, he said, "I'm sorry, Master..." then passed out.

* * *

Qui-Gon watched his padawan hunt for a means of escape in the small room they were in. He was still floating in the bacta tank and could be of no assistance to his padawan—a fact which irritated him greatly.  
  
Obi-Wan examined the door for the millionth time. He felt a prodding from the Force that this was the way out, but it seemed too easy to him. Yes, with the Force he could very easily unlock the door and escape, but he doubted the pirates were quite that stupid. Yet... He turned. _Master, I have a way out,_he decided.  
  
_Oh?_came the reply. _Good. Then get back to the ship and warn the other researchers about what's happened. As I'm still trapped in a bacta tank I won't be able to go with you, padawan.  
_  
Obi-Wan narrowed his eyes._ I'm not leaving without you, no matter what you say_.He told his Master resolutely. _I know how to get you out of there. Just a second_.Then he closed down his bond so he didn't have to hear his master's anger or protests as he walked to the side of the tank and switched it from 'circulation' to 'recycle'. Slowly the bacta drained out and Obi-Wan climbed up the short ladder to assist his master out of the tank.  
  
Qui-Gon stared reproachfully at Obi-Wan as he removed the oxygen mask that had helped him breathe in the tank. He climbed out, wincing at how shaky he was after being in there for so long and then he shivered, chilled from the bacta dripping from him.  
  
Obi-Wan took a very thin towel that was near the tank and silently rubbed his master's skin and clothes. The idiot pirates had put him in there fully clothed. This would make escape even harder if he couldn't get his master dried enough.  
  
Qui-Gon shivered as he continued to stand, leaning most of his weight on Obi-Wan, trying to keep as much as possible off his broken leg which protested as he tried to shift position.  
  
Obi-Wan got Qui-Gon halfway dry, which was the most he would be able to do in the present circumstances. "There," he said, carefully standing so as to not hurt or overbalance his master. "Shall we go down the steps so you can sit down?"  
  
Qui-Gon winced at the idea of trying to climb with his bad leg, but he knew he had to. Gingerly, he tried to shift position and move his leg down to the next stair, then grimaced at the sharp pain that shot through him.  
  
Obi-Wan had reopened his bond to Qui-Gon and winced at the echo of pain he felt from his master. He tried to take the majority of his master's weight to keep the pain down, but when Qui-Gon leaned on his shoulders and chest it caused his tunic to dig into his blisters and he had to bite down to keep from yelling in pain himself. Finally, though, they made it to the bottom step and Qui-Gon was able to sit. Obi-Wan turned so his master wouldn't see the pain in his eyes, trying to recover, knowing that he'd have to help his master walk on the escape out of there.  
  
Qui-Gon panted heavily as he sat down on the chair Obi-Wan had been sitting in that was in front of the bacta tank. Climbing down the stairs had taken an enormous amount of effort and he'd nearly slipped at least twice with the spasms in his bad leg. It was with great relief that he was finally able to sit.  
  
Obi-Wan closed his eyes and found his center. He willed the pain to the back of his mind, setting up a block to keep himself from feeling any more pain, unless it became too bad. Finally, he was able to face his master again, calm and collected. "Well, I know it sounds really simple, but we're just going to go out the front door," he said, pointing at the door beside Qui-Gon. "And as they led me here I think I found where they put our lightsabers...it should be on the way out of here, though I'm sorry to admit that I don't remember much of when they dragged me in here so I don't recall the layout that well."  
  
Qui-Gon nodded a little. He'd expected as much—his padawan had been feverish when he'd been brought in. He hadn't expected him to remember that much. "I suppose we'd better be on our way then, although it would be nice to figure out what they did with our cold weather gear." He sighed deeply.  
  
Obi-Wan nodded. "It would be nice to have it again," he remarked. "But, as Master Kyran likes to say, 'Wishes are like ideas...numerous but not always there to provide help'." He grinned at his master.  
  
Qui-Gon rolled his eyes a little and clenched his teeth. In order to get out he'd have to stand again. He did so slowly, wobbling unsteadily as he gained his feet, gritting his teeth at the sharp pain that flashed through his leg.  
  
Obi-Wan was at his side at once, again supporting him. "Take it slow, Master," he encouraged.  
  
"We don't have much time for slow," Qui-Gon said as he panted for breath. "They could be back any minute to check on us."  
  
Obi-Wan saw the truth to this and so he concentrated, releasing the locks on the door with the Force. He helped Qui-Gon reach the doorway, then glanced up and stopped. All the pirates, it seemed, were gathered in the corridor, Dwine in front, and all had blasters pointed at them.  
  
"About time," Dwine commented.  
  
Qui-Gon swore as he found himself facing several blasters. "We'd've done this a little sooner perhaps if you'd volunteered to help any," he remarked dryly.  
  
Dwine gave him a thin smile. "I was curious how the Jedi team of Master and Padawan worked together. Plus, I was delayed by having to locate a new base." He glanced at Obi-Wan, who was bent over with his master's weight. "Let us escort you out." He held up two objects...their lightsabers. "You'll get these when you leave our base, so no Force stuff."  
  
Obi-Wan was confused. "Why are you helping us leave? And giving our lightsabers back?" He had never met such accommodating captors before.  
  
"Because obviously we don't want them," Dwine said cheerfully. "Once you die out in the snow, we'll go back to our normal routine as terrorists that you so rudely interrupted."  
  
Obi-Wan glanced at his master. He's crazy if he thinks we'll just calmly go out to die,he thought.  
  
Qui-Gon frowned a little at Obi-Wan and he trembled with effort to stand still—he wanted so badly to sit. You can still escape without me,he pointed out.  
  
Nope,Obi-Wan cheerfully responded quickly. Then he glanced at Dwine. "Lead the way, I suppose."

-----------  
  
Qui-Gon's teeth chattered violently as he tried to make his way, following behind Obi-Wan. He had refused to burden his apprentice more than he had already—out in the snow Obi-Wan would have a harder time dealing with the pain of his burns and caring for his master at the same time. He stumbled suddenly and fell, sending him face first into the snow. He was so tired—so cold. His feet had long ago numbed from not having anything to cover them from the chill. He had tried using the Force to stay warm but it was proving very difficult.  
  
Obi-Wan trudged through the snow, breaking through the mounds first to help his master walk easier. He wished he could give his master his boots, but their feet were two different sizes. Instead, he used the Force to form a thin layer of warmth beneath his master's feet. It wasn't much...wasn't very noticeable...but it would keep his master from frostbite and loosing his toes. His burns felt like pockets of sharp ice against his cold skin which throbbed every time he moved. He was already sneezing again and was so cold he didn't much feel it anymore.  
  
He heard something behind him and turned to see Qui-Gon laying face first in the snow. He rushed as quickly as he could back to him. "Master!"  
  
_Padawan,_Qui-Gon sent tiredly. He couldn't speak over the wind with the soreness in his throat from where it had been drilled into. He tried to gain his feet without burdening Obi-Wan, but it was no use. He was stuck. _I suppose this is as good of a place to stop as any. We have no way of knowing where on Hoth we are or how much further we'll have to go before reaching shelter._Qui-Gon rarely liked to admit a mission had gone bad, but he had to admit right now that things looked very bad indeed for the both of them.  
  
Obi-Wan nodded, then sneezed so hard that he was knocked on his butt. "And I guess this is a good place to sit," he remarked dryly, his own voice hoarse. He slit his eyes and imagined the molecules around them solidifying. After about five minutes, he had used the Force to build a semi-shelter of frozen snow around them to block out some of the snow. He couldn't finish it, though...he was so tired...  
  
Qui-Gon coughed violently, then winced deeply at the soreness in his throat. _Oh, my padawan—I tried to protect you from this. I warned you not to go trekking across Hoth the first time alone...this is why...  
  
_Obi-Wan laid down on the snow. He felt so numb. _I wasn't going to let you die alone, Master. I swore an oath as your padawan to protect you, even from yourself, and to learn from you. Well, your influence of breaking the rules was learning from you and I seem to have failed miserably at protecting you from my vision._..He tried to joke in their bleak situation, but felt a warm darkness creeping up on him.  
  
_I do not deserve such loyalty. I have lived a full life and am ready to join the Force if it calls, but you still have your whole life to live, Obi- Wan. That is why I tried to protect you the way that I did,_Qui-Gon said as his vision blurred. He knew unconsciousness was fast approaching.  
  
_I'm getting older, Master, and I will make my own decisions. Some of them will be right...and others will be wrong...but I do not regret coming for you. You are a father to me and I could not leave you to die alone,_Obi- Wan sent. He blinked, but could not get rid of the dimness of his vision.  
  
_Yes...Force be with you, my Obi-Wan..._Qui-Gon sent, and then he fell into the blackness of unconsciousness.  
  
As Obi-Wan let the warm darkness of unconscious envelope him, he thought he heard a ship's engines approaching...


	9. Chapter Nine

**Chapter Nine**  
  
Sassi fumed. Both Jedi had been gone now for three days, with no word about how either of them were. She was still highly mad at young Kenobi for going off without her; she hadn't thought that Jedi lied or misled others. She sighed in anger and turned back to the conversation at hand. Qua was arguing that they stay put for the Jedi to find them, but Greklen wanted them to leave like the Jedi had told them to. Obi-Wan had left a note, telling them to leave if he was not back with Qui-Gon in 48 hours time. They had already stayed a day longer and Greklen wanted to leave before the other Jedi rescue team arrived.  
  
Quanli looked over at Sassi. She knew the other woman was very upset that young Kenobi had left without them. She was very concerned about the pair of them. Master Jinn had been missing a good deal longer than Obi-Wan, and if he couldn't handle the trouble then how would his injured apprentice be able to manage? She shivered a little and sighed. Research sometimes accounted for unknown variables, but only in controlled environments. They had an unknown somewhere on this planet and she didn't like it. Not one bit. This was a problem she had no idea how to solve.  
  
Greklen was pounding his fist on the table. "We should obey them and get the blazes out of here! If two Jedi can't control whatever it is on this planet, then loss of our findings or not, we should go!"  
  
"You would just leave them to die!? Out in the frozen fields of Hoth?" Qua stared at her co-researcher in astonishment, having had no idea that someone could be so cruel.  
  
Howie, for the first time ever, spoke up for Greklen. "Tat is not whut he's saying," the dark-skinned man interjected. "We have to tink of our saf-ty as well. Whut can we do tat two Jedi cannot?"  
  
Qua scowled. "It is what he's saying. The Jedi will freeze to death if we leave them out there alone. We will stay until the rescue teams arrive," she said firmly. "We have enough supplies."  
  
"What about burying poor Lucas?" Jebthia shot back. "He needs to go have a proper burial. How long will the Jedi take to get here to rescue their own?"  
  
Almost as if on cue, Qua's comlink started beeping. She eagerly lifted it to her lips. "Yes?" She paused a moment and then sighed, relief evident in her voice. "The rescue team has arrived," she said as she thumbed off her comlink. "I'm going to go and meet them—the rest of you can do as you like."  
  
Sassi leaped out of her chair to follow Qua, leaving the rest to continue to dicker among themselves. "I can't believe them sometimes," she said as they walked toward the landing ship, disgust in her tone.  
  
Qua shook her head in disgust. "They only care about themselves and the research. That is very disappointing." She sighed as she headed out to meet the Jedi team that the Temple had sent.  
  
Four Jedi stepped out of the ship. Two male Jedi, a female Jedi and a younger woman Jedi wrapped so heavily in an environmental suit that her race was impossible to tell, only the fact that she wasn't human was evident. The other Jedi seemed comfortable in their suits. The blonde haired man bowed slightly. "I'm Jedi Master Kyran Josel. These are my companions Lana Josel, Jedi Master Yan Dooku and Jedi Padawan Bant."  
  
Qua bowed back. "I am very pleased to see that you have arrived. Master Jinn has been missing for almost five days; Padawan Kenobi has been gone for three. We are very concerned about their welfare. Master Jinn went out to meditate and never came back. Padawan Kenobi went looking for him even after he'd been injured."  
  
"Injured?" Bant spoke up, lifting her head and showing that she was a Calamarian. No wonder she was so bundled.  
  
Qua bowed her head slightly. "Yes. Another team member of ours was killed in an explosion. Padawan Kenobi was injured—quite badly, actually, in the blast. But he went out into the frozen plains of Hoth anyway."  
  
Sassi fumed and couldn't resist adding, "After telling me that he would wait for me..."  
  
"Padawan Kenobi left after telling you he would wait?" Yan Dooku frowned. That didn't sound very in character of Obi-Wan to not abide by his word.  
  
Sassi realized that she must have just gotten Obi-Wan in trouble with other Jedi. She cleared her throat. "Well, I did kind of force myself to come with him," she amended. "He did say that he saw visions and that it would be dangerous..."  
  
"Obi-Wan had a vision?" Bant echoed, her large eyes getting even wider. She glanced at Lana. Lana seemed as surprised as the other Jedi.  
  
Sassi nodded a little. "He didn't say much about what it was, but..." She trailed off and was thoughtful. She hoped these Jedi didn't read her thoughts and sense why she was so concerned for Qui-Gon.  
  
The others seemed to be discussing something quietly as Kyran turned to Sassi. By his gaze alone, she could tell that he suspected she had feelings for Qui-Gon. "Why don't we discuss this somewhere warmer?" he said calmly, as a particularly cold gust swept in to nearly knock them off their feet. Bant shivered. "I know that our young friend here could use some warmth."  
  
Sassi nodded and lead the way into their shelter. "I quite agree."  
  
-----------  
  
Once they had all settled themselves in the large main tent, the heat blasting, Lana shook out her six braids and adjusted her double blasters. She still wasn't used to relying on just a lightsaber, though hers was close on her hip next to one of her blasters. "Okay, so what I found out from my fringe contacts is that the Cavrillhu pirates are here, on Hoth, somewhere. It's possible with Qui's luck, which he seems to be passing on to Obi-Wan, that he ran into them."  
  
Kyran nodded and drew in a breath. "That's my assumption as well."  
  
Sassi stared at Kyran with wide eyes. Her breath caught in her throat. "Pirates?"  
  
Dooku nodded. His tone was thoughtful. "That seems to fit with rumor that I have heard recently..." He noticed that they were staring at him. "I have my own ways of finding information."  
  
"But pirates hate Jedi. Especially that group. Are they...even alive?" Sassi asked in astonishment.  
  
Kyran nodded. "They are, though I feel our time is running out. Have you tried to search for them at all since they have become missing?"  
  
Guiltily Sassi shook her head in the negative and stared down at the table. "I wanted to go with them in the first place..."  
  
Qua sighed deeply. "We felt it would be safe to stay here like the Jedi told us to do. We grew concerned when neither one of them came back."  
  
"You did as you were told, which is understandable," Dooku said.  
  
Bant added, "Especially if Obi-Wan had a vision and he thought it best for you not to join him..."  
  
Sassi nodded a little. She wanted to be included in the rescue mission, but she didn't want to get in the way of four trained Jedi. She sighed, wondering how she could best be of help.  
  
Kyran's green eyes caught hers. "Sassi, wasn't it?" He got a nod. "I need you to stay here with Bant. You two need to scan as much as your equipment will let you for anything that shouldn't be here. If you see anything, no matter how small, you are to contact us at once."  
  
Bant wanted to protest at being left in the tent but Lana laid a gentle hand on her shoulder. "You won't survive out there long, Bant," Lana said gently. "Stay here and help Sassi."  
  
Bant grumbled a little, but she didn't protest any further. "Yes, Masters." Obi-Wan was her best friend; she hoped that he was alright and hated being left behind, but she would do her duty.  
  
Kyran stood. "Any ideas on where to start?" he asked the group at large. He felt Qui-Gon's presence dimming, but tried to keep the urgency from his voice.  
  
Sassi pulled a map of the places out that they had hunted for ore out of her pocket. "This was where our shelter was when we split into two teams. We searched along here." She traced the route with her finger. "Master Jinn disappeared shortly after we'd finished searching for the day."  
  
"He felt the explosion, he said, and his padawan's distress," Qua interjected. "So the teams met up again right after the explosion. He found Obi-Wan and stayed by his side for a while, before he said he needed to go off and meditate. We never saw him after that."  
  
Sassi nodded in agreement.  
  
Kyran sighed a little. "Well, I suppose we should be off. The sooner we get out and look for them, the sooner they'll be found. I have my comlink and you can contact us immediately if you see anything out of the ordinary on the equipment."  
  
Bant was already tapping into the researchers equipment, her comlink beside her, as the Jedi left. Swiftly, they entered their ship. Once there and away from the team, Lana shivered. "Brr! I felt more cold coming from that Greklen than from this backwater planet!"  
  
Kyran nodded his agreement. "He seemed almost pleased at the fact that Qui- Gon was missing..." he said thoughtfully to his wife.  
  
"Curious," Dooku added. "But I do believe that Sassi is in the middle of that particular fight."  
  
Lana nodded. "Yes, I do believe Qui-Gon has finally found someone else to care for." The two men stared at her. "What?" she asked. "It doesn't take Jedi skills to see that Sassi is crazy for him."  
  
Kyran shook his head a little. "Well, it doesn't really matter, I suppose, but I hope it doesn't cause trouble."  
  
"Too late!" Lana said cheerfully. When the men stared at her again, she added, "You men become idiots when it comes to a woman. Now, shall we start flying over Hoth? We have two Jedi to save."  
  
Kyran stared at his wife in astonishment and then nodded a little. "Yes I believe we will." He slipped into the co-pilot's seat allowing Master Dooku, as the elder Master, to pilot.  
  
-----------  
  
Bant and Sassi had been dutifully scanning Hoth for any sign of the smallest life when Sassi let out an exclamation. "I found something! It's faint, but it might be them." She motioned Bant over to come see as the other researchers also got up and came around for a look.  
  
Greklen scowled. "That's them," he said roughly. "Since this picks up heat—chances are you won't be able to pinpoint their location for much longer." He sounded almost hopeful at the idea of losing the two Jedi so close to rescuing them.  
  
Sassi narrowed her eyes and backhanded Greklen so hard that he staggered. Glaring at him, she turned back to the display. "Let me write down the coordinates so you can tell the other Jedi, Bant." She quickly did so, and handed the flimsiplast to the Calamarian woman.  
  
Bant thumbed on her comlink and punched in Master Josel's frequency. "Master Josel, we found them!" she said excitedly. She gave him the coordinates that Sassi had handed her.  
  
Dooku quickly piloted the ship toward the coordinates given. His scanners showed nothing by the time they arrived. Lana peered down, then gasped. "There they are!" She pointed at two mounds in the snow, surrounded by a low ice barrier. "Get us down closer, Master Dooku, and Kyran and I will get them." Then she raced toward the ramp.  
  
Kyran leapt out of his seat and dashed after his wife, following down the ramp.  
  
The ramp had barely started to open when Lana slide herself down it, landing softly in the snow. She rushed over to the smallest mound, knowing that Kyran would want to be near his friend first. She brushed snow off of the very still and cold Obi-Wan. His chest barely moved. "He's still alive, though barely!" she called over the sound of the wind.  
  
Kyran stared in horror at his friend. His leg was torn and twisted and his feet had burns on the bottoms of them. His eyes were drawn to the red mark on his friend's throat and he shivered, wondering what had been done to him. Very carefully he picked him up. "Qui-Gon's alive...but not for much longer if we don't get him inside."  
  
Lana nodded and scooped up the frozen Obi-Wan. "They both need immediate care. The Force will help but they need the Healers. Let's go alert the researchers to take Bant back to Coruscant with them and we'll go ahead and go." She raced back into the ship.  
  
Kyran hurried as quickly as he could with Qui-Gon into the ship. They needed medical assistance as fast as they could get it. Qui-Gon's feet might already be frostbitten—he had no idea how long his friend had been lying out in the cold with no shoes. He told the researchers to take Bant to Coruscant with them as Dooku headed for realspace. As soon as they were in space, the older Jedi Master punched in the coordinates for Coruscant and the stars flared into starlines. 


	10. Chapter Ten

**Chapter Ten  
**  
Lana didn't know which Jedi she was the most concerned over. Both Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon's skin were tinted blue from the cold and neither had regained consciousness since their rescue. They were both in slightly cold bacta tanks at the Jedi Temple, cold in order to keep them from going into shock if introduced to too warm a temperature right away. Two padawan-master Healer teams were constantly watching the two Jedi every minute of the day. Neither Kyran nor Lana had moved from the bacta tanks.  
  
Kyran paced in front of the bacta tank holding Qui-Gon. The red mark on his throat was still visible even after extended time in bacta. He wondered what had happened to him to get his throat in that condition. He shivered slightly and glanced over at his wife. "You should go rest. You're more tired than I am."  
  
Lana tore her eyes from Obi-Wan's extremely pale face. "No," she said, shaking her head. "Even if I went, I would not be able to sleep....Not until we are told something more substantial." Her eyes pleaded with her husband to not force her to leave her two friends.  
  
Kyran sighed a little. "Well, you should go eat something at least—and bring me something back from the dining hall."  
  
Lana glanced at the two floating Jedi, hesitated, then gave in as she stood. "Anything in particular you want?"  
  
"Not really—I won't be picky at the moment. A piece of bread and some type of salad at the very least."  
  
Lana nodded and said, "Contact me on the comlink if anything changes? Or if we have more news?"  
  
"Of course I will." He kissed her lightly. "Go eat."  
  
Lana smiled wanly, then went to the dining hall. She had just loaded two sliced dewback sandwiches onto her plate for herself and Kyran when she heard Bant calling her name. She turned to see the Calamarian young woman striding toward her with the researcher, Sassi, behind her. They must have just gotten off their own ship from their rumpled clothing. Lana let Bant hug her. "How was the trip?"  
  
Bant shrugged. "Long."  
  
Sassi glanced at Lana taking in the plate piled with food. "How's Qui-Gon? And Obi-Wan," she asked, adding the apprentice's name almost as an afterthought.  
  
Lana bristled at the other woman's attitude toward Obi-Wan, but refrained from commenting on it as she said, "They are both critical. Neither has woken, though there are two Jedi teams watching over them."  
  
Sassi winced and her features softened slightly. "I'm sorry. Neither are awake?" She sighed a little at that. "I'd like to go back with you to the Healer's if you don't mind..."  
  
Lana eyed her coolly. "None but Jedi or family are allowed to see critical patients, though you may wait in the outside waiting area."  
  
Bant silently watched the two human women, observing their interaction.  
  
Sassi's face fell. "Oh. I understand," she said biting her lip. "Then I'll camp out in the waiting area."  
  
Lana turned to Bant. "You are welcome to visit Obi-Wan and Qui, anytime." Then she walked away, not giving Sassi another glance.  
  
Sassi stared after Lana and sighed deeply. She hadn't meant to sound like she wasn't concerned for Obi-Wan. She was deeply concerned, but her wording had come out wrong. She could figure out numbers brilliantly but when it came to dealing with relationships she had more of a hard time. She quietly gathered her things and went to go camp out in the waiting area of the Healer's wing—determined to get some news, even if she wasn't allowed.  
  
---------  
  
"I just can't believe her!" Lana muttered angrily as she handed a sandwich to Kyran and plopping down on a self-conforming chair. "She still has an attitude against Obi-Wan for leaving her. He saved her life! But she's too blind to realize it, the _gutka_." She glanced at Kyran. "Sorry," she apologized for using Rodian profanity.  
  
"She's just concerned that he risked himself when he was injured and should not have," Kyran said thickly through a bit of his sandwich. "Swear a Jedi should not," he added, grinning a little.  
  
Lana grinned back, some of her anger fading away. The doors opened and Bant strode in. She walked immediately to Lana. "I need to speak with you please, Jedi Josel." She glanced at Kyran and amended, "Jedi Lana Josel."  
  
Lana arched a brow and chewed some more on her sandwich. She finished it off and then stood back up. "Something the matter, Bant?"  
  
Bant gestured to the side of the large room and only continued once they were alone. She gave a small bow. "I would like to speak to you about Sassi. She feels deeply for Qui-Gon and is truly concerned about him."  
  
Lana frowned a little. "She should have some sliver of concern for Obi-Wan as well. Obi-Wan is like a son to Qui-Gon and he saved her life by leaving without her but she's too blind to see it."  
  
Bant thought about her words, then responded, "She does not know him well. In time, she will come to know and be as concerned for his welfare as we are, but for now she is very afraid." The Calamarian's eyes focused on Lana's with brilliant intensity. "She is a loner here. I should think someone else would understand that feeling."  
  
Lana's eyes softened a little at that. "I suppose you are right. I will talk to her."  
  
--------  
  
Sassi sighed as she curled up in an uncomfortable chair in the Healer's waiting area, still wondering what she could have done to not have sounded as if she had not cared an iota about Obi-Wan when the door opened and Lana walked through. The lithe woman's eyes were busily scanning the waiting room. When they lighted on Sassi, she came straight at her, determination in her eyes.  
  
Sassi swallowed hard at the look in the Jedi woman's eyes as she watched her walk across the room. What was her name? Oh yes, Lana. That was it. She stood, stretching a little wincing at the cramps in her stiff muscles from sitting for so long on a ship and then in the waiting room.  
  
"Sassi?" Lana inquired, making sure that the other woman was paying attention to her.  
  
Sassi blinked. "Yes? How are Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon?" she asked in concern, feeling a knot form in the pit of her stomach. "Any change yet?"  
  
Lana fought back a smile when the petite researcher asked about Obi-Wan. It was nice to know that even after marriage to a Jedi and on the way to becoming one herself that she hadn't lost her touch with others. "Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon both are still the same, though they are beginning to regain a little color. The healers are going to try to wake them later today to feed them something. But they are not the reason I am here." She paused.  
  
Sassi frowned in confusion. "Then why are you here?" She paled a little at the idea that Qui-Gon hadn't even woken yet.  
  
Lana gestured to a corner of the waiting area, away from a family that was slumbering. Once they had reached their goal, Lana surprised them both by laying a hand on Sassi's arm. "I wanted to apologize for being so rude earlier. We are all concerned about Qui and Obi-Wan, and I should not have taken my frustrations at not being able to help more out on you. I was once in your shoes a few years ago." She gave her an encouraging smile.  
  
Sassi stared a little, then she smiled. "Thank you. I was just worried myself, but sometimes I have a hard time making wording come out the way I want it to."  
  
Lana nodded and removed her hand. "It happens alot to me," she confided. "Before Kyran married me I was always unsure of myself and where I stood with others, especially the Jedi. I always felt like the outsider, but with his love all that changed."  
  
Sassi frowned in confusion. "But I thought that Jedi took you as an infant or not at all if you were to become a Jedi."  
  
Lana nodded. "Usually, that is true. It was found out that a Jedi Master hid my talents since my brother was more gifted than I. I would have been trained if not for her, and so after much deliberation the Council granted Kyran and Qui-Gon the provision that they could teach me to keep me from the dark side." Her eyes sparkled with mirth. "I can be quite a terror. I even hit a Jedi Master once." She laughed.  
  
Sassi smirked a little. "I hit a coworker if that counts," she said referring to when she'd smacked Grekklen. This woman must be formidable indeed to have actually hit a Jedi Master! "Thank you for telling me about Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan." She made to move to go back to her chair in the waiting room. "I'll wait until he's well enough. I have the time off work, if I need it."  
  
Lana caught at her sleeve, stopping her. "You can come in. Before I came out to see you, I had them give you clearance to come and go anytime you wished. Besides, it's about time for them to wake them. Qui-Gon would...like it if you were there. If you follow me, I'll show you the way." She turned and walked back into the critical ward.  
  
Sassi eagerly went with her.  
  
-------  
  
Obi-Wan felt a prodding through the Force, urging him to waken. It concentrated itself in his stomach, drawing his attention to how empty it was. His stomach needed no further encouragement to wake up. It started growling, demanding food, immediately, which prompted Obi-Wan the rest of the way awake. He blinked his eyes, surprised to see that he was being lifted out of a bacta tank. "Wh...?" he asked, before his teeth began chattering so badly that he couldn't finish. He saw that his Master was slowly blinking himself awake above a bacta tank near him. He was shivering also.  
  
Qui-Gon shivered at the top of the bacta tank. He was freezing and his throat felt raw and on fire with pain. He tried to open his mouth and reassure his padawan but no sound came out other than a weak moan. He blinked sleepily as he looked around the healer's room. He shook his head slightly seeing the petite researcher, Sassi, hovering anxiously nearby.  
  
"How do you feel, Obi-Wan?" Jedi Healer Han'yaie asked him as he wrapped him in a thick robe. He carefully wrapped his long arms around the padawan and helped him walk down the stairs.  
  
Obi-Wan took a brief stock of his condition. "My...blisters are healing, but are still tender. I'm...so cold..." He shivered so badly his own body shook.  
  
Han'yaie tightened his grip on Obi-Wan as Lana walked up. "Lana is going to help you to a very warm recovery room so you can eat. You'll be in bacta again tonight, but for now I want you and your master to just relax with friends." He handed the padawan over to Lana, who led him to the recovery room as the healer climbed the steps to Qui-Gon. He asked the Jedi Master the same question, "How are you feeling?"  
  
Qui-Gon opened his mouth to try to respond, but then winced at the sharp pain in his throat. Frustration quickly bubbled under the surface. If he couldn't convey how he felt, how was he to be able to heal? He had no answers for that: all he knew was that it pained him to even open his mouth, let alone talk.  
  
Han'yaie focused into the Force. _Talk to me this way, Qui-Gon. You are scheduled for surgery on your larynx in another day's time. Other than that, how do you feel?  
_  
Qui-Gon stared at the healer. The idea of surgery on his larynx didn't sound very appealing at all. _Sore. Everywhere. My leg is throbbing. It's healing a little but I still don't think I can put my full weight on it to walk anywhere. My feet are doing better, not quite so cold...the burns are mostly healed._He paused a little. _And I'm starving_,he finished.  
  
Han'yaie chuckled._ Yes, Obi-Wan is as well.He summoned a hoverchair. Use this to help you get around for today. You and Obi-Wan will both go back in bacta later today, but for now you are to relax with friends and eat_.He gave him a hard stare, then added, _I'm concerned mostly about your larynx and Obi-Wan's burned chest. We'll see what another round in bacta can do.He handed Qui-Gon a thick robe to put around himself.  
_  
Qui-Gon paled at the idea of eating anything. He carefully took the robe from the Healer and wrapped himself up in it. He was so cold and the robe warmed his freezing skin. _Thank you..._He sat in the hoverchair, grateful that he wouldn't have to walk anywhere.  
  
Han'yaie steered the chair down the stairs to the waiting Sassi and an anxious Kyran. "He's all yours, though don't force him to talk," the healer warned, his gaze focused solely on Sassi.  
  
She nodded and knelt at Qui-Gon's feet, tears in her eyes. "I was so worried..." She whispered. "You disappeared..."  
  
Qui-Gon hoped that his eyes could say what he could not: that he didn't mean to worry her and he was very glad that she was all right. It was easier with Kyran—they at least had their bond from childhood that they could use. _What took you so long?_he said teasingly through their link.  
  
Kyran huffed as he took his chair from Han'yaie and began to steer him toward the recovery room set up for his and his padawan's use. _You were hard to find, as always,_Kyran scoffed. _Next time, drop a postcard stating 'Hello, I'm on Hoth. Wonderful place to freeze to death. Come visit anytime._'He gave his friend a long look as they neared the door to the recovery room. _What **were **you doing, unprotected, on Hoth's surface?  
  
I'll be sure to remember to write next time, but I don't think the postman makes regularly scheduled visits to Hoth. I didn't go out there for fun, especially without my cold weather gear. You think I just wanted to play in the snow or something?  
_  
Kyran gave a small laugh, startling Sassi who had no idea that they were talking. She proceeded them into the room. _With you, there's no telling,_Kyran quipped. Then he pushed his friend into the room.  
  
Obi-Wan made a move to jump up, but winced and settled back down. "Master!" His face colored, clearly wondering how his master would treat him after the many times he had disobeyed him over their trip.  
  
Qui-Gon opened his mouth to say something in greeting but then changed his mind. Talking was pure instinct. Relying solely on the Force for communication was going to be a little difficult until he got more used to it. _Obi-Wan...  
_  
Obi-Wan didn't meet his eyes. _I'm glad to see you_....he very visible skipped saying 'alive' and said instead _doing well.  
_  
Qui-Gon gave his padawan a hard look. _Yes. I am feeling better—I have you to thank for that, I believe. But we will be discussing things later. For now I think it best to relax and enjoy yourself as much as you are able in the Healer's Wing,_he instructed, his voice dripping with sarcasm at the idea of being relaxed in the Healer's Ward.  
  
Obi-Wan chuckled and raised his eyes to his master. They were filled with love and respect, though backed by an inner strength that Qui-Gon had just begun to glimpse through their recent trip to Hoth._ I'm sure as long as you don't try to runaway this time you'll be able to relax,_Obi-Wan informed him.  
  
Qui-Gon raised a brow._ I don't think I'm in the shape this time to "run" anywhere. All Han'yaie would have to do is disable my hoverchair.  
_  
Obi-Wan burst into laughter, electing amused looks from the Jedi and a surprised look from Sassi. He went back to happily eating his tender dewback ribs that were sliced off the bone for him.  
  
Qui-Gon's stomach rumbled as he smelled the ribs that his padawan was eating. Surely he could have a small taste... He reached eagerly for a bite off his padawan's tray since no one had brought him anything yet.  
  
Lana quickly reached out and smacked his hand. "You, sir, get soup so stay away from your growing padawan's food," she warned, a twinkle in her eye. Just then, a healer padawan stepped in, holding a tray with a large bowl of a flavorful soup and placed it in Qui-Gon's lap.  
  
Qui-Gon sulked and wrinkled his nose in distaste at the soup. He'd had no food for several days and they were just going to give him flavored water? His eyes pleaded with Lana to give him something else but she was unmoved. Very grudgingly he picked up the spoon and began trying to eat small bites at a time, trying very hard to ignore the pain in his throat as he did so.  
  
Obi-Wan noticed his master's discomfort and paused in his eating to focus into the Force to shunt some of his master's pain to himself so that Qui- Gon could get the nutrients his body so desperately needed.  
  
Qui-Gon glanced over at his padawan as he continued to eat, noticing that it didn't hurt as much and figuring Obi-Wan was responsible. _Thank you, padawan.  
_  
Obi-Wan grinned over at him. _Anytime, Master. Any_time.He resumed eating himself. After a moment, a large piece of bread soaked in dewback juice floated to Qui-Gon and dropped into the remnants of his soup. Obi-Wan pretended to not notice.  
  
_What have I told you before about playing with your food, Padawan?_Qui- Gon sent. His eyes were twinkling betraying the seriousness in his tone.  
  
Obi-Wan almost choked on his own food, he was laughing so hard. Lana put her hands on her hips as Kyran laughed and even Sassi found the flying food funny. "Now, look, Obi-Wan....Qui isn't supposed to have too solid of food yet..."  
  
Kyran laid a hand on his wife's arm, still laughing. "Let them be. They're hungry."  
  
Qui-Gon smiled at his friend as he ate his soup. Yes, his padawan would make a fine young knight someday. Risking his life to help those around him and helping others without being asked. He glanced around the room. He truly was among family and he wouldn't rather be anywhere else—even in the Force. 


End file.
